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It's the updated version of the original was wasn't here. Now with double the subjects in most types and a brand new moves section! And maybe some other surprises. I've called it prompty prompts, type prompts plus, etc.
In short, this is a little writing/worldbuilding exercise for my series of fics. Stuff is subject to change as it actually comes up if it hasn't been already featured.
Just like in the previous iteration of this, you can expect sarcasm, silliness, trashing generational gimmicks, a few actually contentish case-by-case things that are minor at best (some death, some mental, nothing specific or deep), and stuff that disagrees with your worldbuilding, including capitalizing Pokemon. Okay, I don't think that last one's ever been a serious problem in recent years, but still. It's a running gag.
In a nutshell: Normal
This was at one point thought of as a "default" type Pokemon share or otherwise a lack of a type. The existence of typelessness has since been proven latter theory untrue. However, there is evidence that points towards the former. Scientists can't agree on what exactly Normal is. A type is infused with some sort of energy, contained in the essence of Pokemon and their moves. Some of these emulate elements in nature. Pokemon haven't been able to explain anything themselves, simply saying that it is.
What complicates things is why Normal types can have other types. In particularly, many birds are Normal in addition to Flying. The running theory is that it's something unique to Pokemon.
Who's who of type experts 1: Basil Barnett
Born in Ramanas Town, he was always one to seek greater challenges and decided to do so by using only one type. Considering he was one of Sinnoh's Elite Four for over 15 years, no one can doubt his talent. He specializes in Normal-types. They may seem basic, but in truth they brim with potential. Basil himself appears fairly unassuming if you just count his body. Average height, average weight, and black hair with brown eyes. He's otherwise anything but ordinary. Some call him a trend-chaser in terms of his sense of fashion and he has a quiet yet bombastic personality.
Notable Pokemon of Basil include his ace Snorlax, his Wyrdeer, and his Bibarel (noted absolute menace to challengers despite being evolved from a common sight). Like many Sinnoh type experts, he has a few surprises on his team that don't line up due to their more lenient rules on it. He has two Clefables in particular, one Normal and one Fairy. He carefully grooms them to look identical, and sometimes switches and uses them in the same battle.
Basil leaving his position to pursue other ambitions was the catalyst for some of the stuff that happened in Official In-Training, despite him only getting namedropped a few times.
Who's who of type experts 2: Whitney Blanche
The Gym Leader of the most urban city in Johto is ironically a rural girl from the nearby farmland. The Blanche Farms aren't as well known as the Moomoo Farm (you can thank the virtual adventures for that), but it's still a major supplier of goods in Johto. Whitney was homeschooled, but loved visiting Goldenrod. She went on a journey and did quite well for herself. One thing led to another as she became well known on the battling circuits in the city, and she was eventually offered a position as a Gym Leader. Something of an athletic girl/woman as well, she enjoys having her Pokemon compete in physical competitions. She tried contests once, but didn't do very well.
She has something of a reputation as a prima donna, a ditz, and a crybaby. All are true to varying degrees, but when it comes to her job, she can be very serious when needed. It's not like she cries at the drop of a hat or whenever she loses, she's just something of an emotional person. More reasonable detractors of Whitney point to her relying on stupid strategies or raw power too often. Her Miltank is especially notorious amongst newer trainers whose Pokemon are too weak to stop her Rollout before it becomes too strong. Her Clefairy and Clefable also tend to rely on Metronome to throw challengers off. The League has justified it by saying that this is exactly the sort of different challenge aspiring Champions should have to face. Trainers like Whitney who can pull off these strategies effectively are hard to come by.
Pokemon commentary 1: Normal Cleffa, Clefairy, and Clefable
This is a regional variant of its line. And well, a reason to explain why Whitney could still have one after the type got totally removed off of it in the series. Clefairys that lose their connection to the moon lose their Fairy type. This often happens in more urbanized regions. Summarily, they become the Normal-types we all know and love. They become paler in skin tone and lose inherent access to moves like Moonblast, but otherwise maintain a lot of their capabilities.
These Normal-type variants are fairly unassuming, but other than not performing their customary rituals, they are very similar in behavior to the Fairy-types. They still require a Moon Stone to evolve. The usual Fairy-types are still receptive to the Normal variants and will gladly welcome wanderers to their evolution festivals.
Pokemon commentary 2: Eevee
One of the most popular Pokemon around and a common alternative starter choice in the world, due to its many evolutions giving the trainer a choice of how to raise their partner. Artists and creative thinkers spend days coming up with hypothetical evolutions for this, sometimes even inventing new types just to have new Eevees. Oddly, few seem to consider them staying Normal-type. Even nature (until canon somehow contradicts me): they seem to be born with a natural capacity for evolution, but none have stayed Normal or become multiple types.
On rare occasions, an Eevee will demonstrate a greater capacity for moves - including some unique to it – yet become incapable of evolution. It's not known what causes this to happen, and it appears to be a rare mutation instead of a proper form. The collars of these Eevee tend to be particularly fluffy, and their eyes are sometimes violet.
Menacing moves:
• Quick Attack: The premier so-called priority move. Like many of them, the Pokemon grants itself a temporary boost to its Speed stat to perform a high speed tackle in one direction. It can even be used as an evasive tactic. The lack of precision makes it weaker than most moves. Similar ones do not change the overall effectivity of the move, because the Pokemon hits with the same amount of force, just in a different type.
• Attract: Charms a Pokemon into dropping its guard by appealing to its heart, usually of the opposite gender. However, it should be noted that this move is heavily affected by personality. Some Pokemon might not be interested or even become offended.
• Double Team: The Pokemon creates illusory copies of themselves to fool an opponent. Many variants exist – encircling, lines, or all over, even hiding the real one. But one consistency is that they are just illusions, so it's easily countered if the opponent knows how and can. One of the hardest moves to use at a high level. The Iga Clan is notable for creating TMs that allow any to use this through ninjutsu.
• Body Slam: This attack involves throwing one's weight upon pressure points on the target. This is sometimes enough to induce paralysis.
• Hyper Beam/Giga Impact: These moves, along with their counterparts, are believed to harken back to the time when Pokemon moves were much stronger. They are respectively a massive expulsion of evolutionary energy and using it to cloak oneself for a full force tackle. Only those at the peak of their potential can use it, and due to how much energy is expended, the Pokemon is left exhausted for several moments afterward.
Noteworthy Pokemon in-fic: Tono Takuma's Girafarig "Gracie"
Tono is one of the Gym Trainers of Sunyshore, and Gracie is his second-best Pokemon (after his theme-typed Jolteon). Like many, he is nicknamed after various characters in the video games Tono plays.
He is a loyal partner to Tono. While fairly laid back, he takes battling very seriously. Retroactively because of Faragiraf being introduced, he attaches Eviolite because Gracie prefers to stay unevolved. Stuff like that can be a problem after new evolutions pop up. I thought I was safe!
In a nutshell: Rock
Minerals, stone, whatever you can think of. Pokemon that are made up of hard materials such as these are Rock-types. They have the ability to gather dust particles to defend themselves with, a trait shared with ice particles and the Ice-type.
Rock is often thought of derogatorily in certain circles as the defensive type that can't be defensive. It infamously has plenty of unfortunate weaknesses. Experienced trainers of them go one of three ways: train them to be even more defensive, have them double up with dodginess, or have them throw caution to the wind and go in on offense. The last has more sense than it seems: while their physical attacks tend to be inaccurate, they also tend to be effective on many things and hit hard.
Who's who of type experts 1: Early Gym Leaders
For whatever reason, there is a tendency of many Leagues to think of the Rock-type as tutorials for new trainers in "intended" order due to their resistance towards basic Normal-type moves. That's not to say that any of these trainers are weak. All Gym Leaders have to be flexible enough at fighting trainers of any reasonable skill level.
For example, Roark Vass has recently taken up the position of "first" Gym Leader of Sinnoh. He can be described as one striving to follow in his father's footsteps. His training paid off, as it was enough for the League to accept Byron's recommendation of him. Brock Johnson's Gym is his life, passed down through the family, but he works as a hobbyist geologist. Roxanne from Hoenn is one who indeed leans into the teaching aspect of things, working as a teacher herself. Grant of Kalos works as the second Gym Leader of his region, who is an avid mountain climber. Seok Namgung works as a first in between music gigs in South Korea.
Something of a club for these lesser-ranked Rock-type Leaders has been forming as of late. It was founded by Seok, who got annoyed at being the brunt of too many jokes. At least he was able to dissuade the League from making sure new trainers can crush him with Water or Grass-types by raising a stink with song. There are plenty of exceptions, including Jasmine Pitt of Johto before she switched over. They're not invited to this club.
Who's who of type experts 2: Tyme Beates
The former Gym Leader of Montenevera in the Paldea region. Tyme has a master's degree in math. She is a kindhearted and compassionate woman who was always willing to help new trainers in her hometown who didn't have the luxury of going to one of the region's schools. While numbers don't play a big role with Pokemon like they do in the virtual adventures, she uses technique in addition to raw power to deal with the Rock-type's shortcomings. It's not uncommon for her to command her Pokemon with precise angles or timing to execute attacks. She is a big fan of Lycanroc, training one of each form; they have all been trained to be fairly quick in combat. She prefers not to use Sandstorm in recent years, in honor of her retired Gigalith.
Despite the type's shortcomings, in her prime she was the final Gym Leader in recommended order of Paldea. Her skills in battle and teaching did not go unnoticed, and she was offered both a position at a prestigious academy or an Elite Four position. She wanted to diversify her portfolio, so she chose the former. This led to a certain salaryman having to work in two positions at once, still to this day in fact.
Unfortunately, the teaching gig turned out to be more work that she expected. While she was and still is skilled as a trainer, teaching was her true love. So she retired from the position of Gym Leader to focus on her teaching career. There are rumors, however, that she also did so in order to give her sister, Ryme, a chance to shine in her own light. Critics point to her being unusually defensive about the subject, which shouldn't be the case if it was just as simple as focusing on one thing. But only she knows.
Pokemon commentary 1: Fossils
Imperfect fossil regeneration technology has done some interesting things to Pokemon. Fossils are a type of mineral, and these end up fusing into the Pokemon to give them a (new) secondary type. Some of them like Aerodactyl already were Rock-type already, but these have effectively resulted in new variants being created. The affected Pokemon include Tyrant, Amaura, Archen, Lileep, and Anklyophone. Research into how to perfect the process this is still underway, but at least one attempt resulted in atrocity.
Of course, the fossils of non-extinct Pokemon have been discovered. They have been able to be revived with similar results, but the scientific community generally sticks to extinct Pokemon. Some of these regenerated fossils have been tested in remote locations for potential reintroduction to the world. So far, there seems to be no issue with damaging the ecosystem.
Pokemon commentary 2: Lunatone/Solrock
It's a vast universe out there. The theory that Pokemon as a species came from outer space is often considered to be a crackpot one at best. On the other hand, there have been some that have been proven to come from the final frontier (or even stranger locations). These are two who might fit that bill.
New Pokemon are discovered all the time, and not just when the games decide to put them in. These are a pair of Pokemon first recorded in the 1960s at Meteor Falls in Hoenn after a meteor strike. However, they started popping up in various places around the world after, far quicker than they should have been able to spread if they did indeed come on the meteor. The most commonly accepted theory is that whatever this was somehow 'activated' the species and made them emerge. They were likely on the planet for a while, simply inert. Why this meteor could have done so is another story, and the two Pokemon don't understand questions about it.
There is no indication of an evolutionary link between the two despite their close ties. They are sentient stones carved into the shape of a crescent moon and a sun respectively. Wielding telekinetic power, they have a connection with the skies, becoming more active when the appropriate celestial object is out. They do not seem to eat or need anything to survive, congregate, or even do much except float around and sometimes stare up at the moon or sun respectively. They've been known to help other species, however, and have been seen interacting with Minior in certain regions.
Menacing moves:
• Generating rock: Moves such as Rock Throw, Rock Slide, etc. seem to create new material out of nowhere. These are actually generated with the Pokemon's inherent abilities, but because they involve a physical object, they're physical. They will not last long and will crumble into nothingness within a day at most.
• Ancientpower: One of the rare special moves of the type. The Pokemon awakens memories of its ancestors and unleashes its power. Why it manifests as the Rock-type is a mystery. Sometimes, these memories of a time when Pokemon were stronger in general will induce a stat boost, or even allow evolution.
• Smack Down: Throws out a special heavy stone laced with Gravity. When it strikes a Pokemon, the effect sticks onto them, forcing them to the ground.
• Stealth Rock: This nasty move lays sharp, persistent stones around the battlefield. Careless Pokemon can easily fall into them. Their unique composition causes them to be stimulated when Poke Ball energy is nearby.
• Rollout: The Pokemon cloaks itself in Rock-type energy and starts rolling around, picking up speed as it goes. It's difficult to stop once they get going, but it gains in power as it goes along.
Noteworthy Pokemon in-fic: Haruto Kannagi's Tyrantrum "Boudicca"
It's a tradition of the Kannagi Shrine for the shrine's Master or future one to have at least one exotic Pokemon. Haruto's then-girlfriend Lisa gave him a Jaw Fossil she dug up on a trip, shortly before they became engaged. She has since gone on to become one of his closest partners, especially in the wake of Lisa's disappearance. Boudicca was notably used to rescue Prema from a wild Volcarona (which Haruto then captured and gifted to her).
Boudicca is a proud Pokemon, but she has a tender heart. She's always one to look out for those she considers family, which includes Haruto's other Pokemon and Prema.
In a nutshell: Water
What's there to say? Many aquatic Pokemon are of the type of the most common element on the planet, and some non-aquatic Pokemon as well. Unlike animals, they don't care about the differences between salt or freshwater.
Water-types are very sensitive to changes in the environment, more than any other type. One of the ways this manifests is their ability to use moves. Pokemon very used to one water temperature might not be able to use one or the other, at least not effectively. Particularly crafty trainers might be able to deal effective damage with moves like Sludge on certain Pokemon.
Who's who of type experts 1: Crasher Wake
Wake was born in Mexico but had a second home in Japan as part of a talent exchange between wrestling promotions. His name is not on public record, like many masked luchadors. He was once a renowned wrestler who suffered a massive ACL injury during a match. Not the type to sit on his laurels, he decided to take up Pokemon training as something to do in the meantime and as a way to bond with his kids. His tear was far worse than expected. It gave him time to hone his skills, usually around places like Mynwest Court. He was never a trainer when he was a kid, but he proved it's never too late to start being one.
His type preference came natural to him: he loves water. His Spanish ring name, Mananti el Destructor, incorporated it as much as his attire. Pokemon training was supposed to be a fun venture, so he decided to try winning with his favorite type. It naturally attracted the attention of the Leagues. The only reason he didn't accept in his home region was because their League had a Water-type Elite Four member - it wasn't actually an issue there, but he respected the man too much. Instead, he went to his second home in Sinnoh. He still wrestles on a part-time basis, but most of his efforts go to the community of Pastoria, training his Pokemon (he stays in shape by swimming with them), and spending time with his family.
Who's who of type experts 2: The Sensational Sisters
It's rare, but not unknown for Gyms to have multiple leaders. How this is handled varies by the locale. For example, those with a pair of leaders sometimes feature double battling. The Striaton Gym is known for doing all sorts of things: selecting based off the challenger's first Pokemon (often for new trainers), allowing the challenger to choose, or even allowing triple battles. As for Cerulean City, the four sisters – Daisy, Violet, Lily, and Misty – all share the glory.
The Cerulean Gym is currently the only one in Kanto that directly serves another purpose besides battling; it's not uncommon in some regions, but it's rare in Japan. The sisters are all exceptional swimmers who know how to put on a good show. They wow crowds with elegant grace in the pool and in battle. Speaking of, the pool allows crowds a unique view of underwater battling rarely seen in other gyms. Those factors all come together to make the Cerulean Gym one of the most popular in the region. The sisters all pitch in: the eldest, Daisy, handles a lot of the publicity and is the primary playwright. Violet is the second-eldest and handles the outfit design and routines. Lily is the second-youngest, who tends to resent Misty for getting a lot of her parents' attention and taking her "tomboy" position. She doesn't contribute as much as the others in either the Gym or the routines, but her supporting role is arguably the most important of all.
Misty is the youngest and least endowed of the four. The lack of self-esteem from it has driven her to train and become stronger at Pokemon than her sisters. As a result, Pokemon handling is her job during the shows. Of course, she's still a girl around that age, and hormones are a very real thing. She tends to crush on attractive male challengers her age, although League rules prevent her from pursuing relationships with just any dude who walks in. She hopes to take a guy up to Cerulean Cape one day.
Pokemon commentary 1: Shellos and Gastrodon
These are two of the more enigmatic Pokemon due to their two distinct forms. it has all the makings of a regional variant and yet the two are completely identical. There have been many theories on what causes this change, such as diet or environment. The latter has been debunked by breeders; Shellos take on the form of their mother regardless of location. Because of their presence in Sinnoh and the divide between Mt. Coronet dividing the two subspecies, they are prominent in certain religions. The Kannagis in particular use them as an example of how ones can be the same despite the differences between them.
Scientifically, some postulate that these used to be regional variants of one another until they somehow converged. What muddies the water is the finding of Shellos remains in Hoenn that had traits from both subspecies of the former and a completely different shelled Gastrodon which old records say was a Water/Rock type. The former led to theories that it was a divergence from this one form instead.
These Pokemon require a certain degree of care to raise due to their dependency on water. They're popular for their cuteness, friendliness, and ease of Surfing on them. Any would-be trainer learns how to raise a Pokemon to take rather than avoid hits. They secrete a nontoxic but sticky fluid that helps them move. With help from human-made TMs or specialized breeding, they can learn to weaponize this into Sludge attacks.
Pokemon commentary 2: Polis
Pokemon generally undergo evolution as a means to surpass the limits of their bodies and become stronger. What is still a mystery is why some Pokemon can evolve in more than one way. One of the more drastic examples of this is Politoed. The Poliwag line are much like the above. Slimy amphibious creatures who need to keep their skin hydrated. It wouldn't be unusual for a tadpole to become a frog. After all, that's how it works in the animal kingdom. But Politoed coexists alongside Poliwrath, another final evolution of the species' line.
Polis tend to live in tight-knit groups just with their own species, but unlike things like the Nidos, they are more accepting of outsiders. Despite having limited psychic powers (rooted in their intestines, visible through their swirl), it does not manifest naturally except with their hypnosis abilities. It is known that Politoeds tend to be leaders of their colonies whereas Poliwraths tend to strike out on their own, but this is not a hard rule. Especially gifted members of the species can summon short bursts of pseudo-rain at a mere croak. One archaeological discovery revealed that they used to look much different. Fossil analysis revealed a quadrupedal specimen that looks far similar to its relatives, especially its eyes and belly spiral. It's unknown why they changed to be so different over time, although some suspect it was to better stand out.
The last thing to note are Poliwraths. Poliwhirls who want to grow but don't have the leadership potential to evolve into Politoed leave and become independent travelers. It's rare to see one in a colony as a result. Many go searching for Water Stones to increase their potential, but it's possible for one to reach this stage simply by training their body enough. They are supreme swimmers who prefer to take a physical approach to their problems.
Menacing moves:
• Surf: One of the most notorious moves. It takes a lot of effort to use unless there's actual water to use it with (like across the surface of a pool). The Pokemon rides a wave across the battlefield, generating it if needed and washing over anything in the way. The height of the wave can vary, but trained ones can stop before hitting trainers. More precise attacks can be stronger than this, especially when multiple targets are involved.
• Scald/Chilling Water: Pokemon that thrive in certain water temperature can make use of these moves based on them. It's rare to see one capable of using both.
• Brine: The saltwater component of this move makes it especially effective on weakened opponents, soothing them into unconsciousness or – in the case of especially violent battles – getting into open wounds.
• Waterfall: A tackle that sees that user propel itself – and sometimes its target – upwards using water. It also excels at letting the user ascend preexisting water.
• Aqua Ring: A Pokemon that uses this move envelops itself in rings of pure water. The Pokemon absorbs it to restore their health, which is why a Big Root will work with it. The ring can be used creatively to block certain moves or be upgraded to a sphere, but in either case, the ring itself can be targeted and destroyed. A Pokemon that unwillingly gains this for any reason can shake it off.
Noteworthy Pokemon in-fic: Priestess Satomi Kurusu's Blastoise "Otohime"
While many of the Pokemon of this elderly priestess have either passed on or been given away to nieces or nephews, Otohime is still with her. She was Satomi's starter Pokemon over 80 years ago, and is still more than capable in battle. Her Hydro Cannon was shown to be strong enough to bring down a well-trained Pokemon from good health.
Satomi nicknamed her for the Otohime from Urashima Tarō. She saw the 1931 version when she was young which inspired the nickname. Otohime is calm and still loves a good battle, and was shown to have been bored by one once.
In a nutshell: Electric
Electric moves are used by storing or gathering power and releasing it. Electric-types specialize in this and generate it naturally. How other Pokemon do so to use moves varies. Static, magnetism, and manifesting psychic power are some of the more common means.
Of course, even an Electric-type can run out of energy. It's also possible for them to build up too much. So even those who don't battle with their sparking friends will have to make sure they regularly discharge. Relatedly, their unusual nerve impulses render them immune to typical Pokemon paralysis.
Who's who of type experts 1: Volkner Denzi
Volkner is a blunt and serious man in his late 20s who is apathetic to things he doesn't care about – socialization and romance two of the more notable. Besides Pokemon battling, he has an interest in automobiles and electronics. The back of the Gym is his personal workshop. He tends to wear outfits with orange and white, in-part due to his starter, which is now a Raichu.
Volkner keeps to himself most of the time. He is considered by many to be the strongest Gym Leader in the region. He has a mostly one-sided rivalry with Snowpoint Leader Flint Donaldson dating back to when the Batalson Island native moved to Sunyshore, though he begrudgingly considers him one of his few friends as much as he annoys him. They journeyed independently in 1998 and met in the finals of the League. Volkner won and went on to nearly become Champion. Both's subsequent successes in Sinnoh and other regions impressed League Officials, and they were offered Gyms in adulthood. Volkner accepted only because Flint did. He chose the Electric-type for his starter and having only one weakness.
Being a Gym Leader also comes with having Gym Trainers, fellow type enthusiasts. These and the puzzles are tests to see if a challenger is worth a Leader's time, although not all make use of them. One of the most notable Volkner had was Kallisto Keravnos, who is long considered to have already surpassed him and was only staying for as long as he was in school.
He was one of the major supporting characters of Official In Training, when he was asked to tutor Nori Carino as part of a test in considering his promotion to Elite Four. It was a rollercoaster of a time, but it ended a sort of friendship. He's always willing to give his one-time "student" advice when necessary.
Who's who of type experts 2: Robert Matthew Surge
Conflict is unfortunately something that seems to be inherent in sapient species. Whether it's Pokemon having territorial battles or humans fighting over ideological differences, neither species is exempt from this. In extreme cases, war breaks out.
Surge was once an officer in the United States Army, coming from the heartland and not Unova, because that'd be like calling everyone a New Yorker. He held the rank of Major; it's unknown where exactly Lieutenant originated, but it caught on as part of an alliterative nickname: "Lightning Lieutenant". He was strict and harsh, but that was only to ensure his men survived. His story is well-known: while the war he fought in was an ugly affair and saw a couple of his partners slain, his Raichu saved him. He received an honorable discharge after the country pulled out due to injuries incurred, and still craving combat, he decided to do so on the field of Pokemon battling. In the past, he was particularly infamous for his brutality, treading the thin line of what was considered acceptable. He still applies his military mindset to his Gym, right down to his Gym Puzzle.
So why is a proud American in Kanto? Same reason a lot of Type experts jump ship: his home region was flaky about accepting him as a Gym Leader. A member of his old unit and subsequent Gym Trainer, Lt. Tucker Olson, told him to come to Japan with him. He aimed big and he succeeded. He was also one of the leaders indicted in the Team Rocket Kanto League infiltration scandal, believed to have been involved in smuggling Pokemon in and out of Vermillion's port. He claimed to have been mind controlled by Sabrina's darker half at the time. No one really believed him. The common belief is he accepted as a chance to get back into the heat of real combat, but the fact that he changed his ways on the spot was enough for the League to take pity. Besides, they could always use someone with experience if trouble brewed in their region again.
Pokemon commentary 1: Kotora and Raitora
Raitora is the ace of Kallisto Keravnos. It's a perfect example of how a popular trainer can make a Pokemon popular. Regions outside of the big four Japanese ones owe at least some of their tourism to trainers coming to places where this and its pre-evolution Kotora are more common.
These rotund tiger-like Pokemon are not as agile as most Electric-types, but they're some of the hardiest. They live in savannas and sometimes on mountains. They're omnivorous creatures who live solo or in small prides. They're generally not hostile to humans and other Pokemon and typically warn potential threats off with a Noble Roar at first or even drive them away with Confuse Ray. When it comes to combat, they have a natural affinity for fighting physical, particularly with their fangs and throwing their body around. The species' signature move is Swift Bolt, a powerful high speed Electric-type body blow most comparable to Extreme Speed.
Pokemon commentary 2: Morpeko
There are a subset of Pokemon nicknamed Pikas, after the most famous Pokemon of the type. These all have cheek sacs which store electricity. They tend to be small and rodent-like in their appearance. While some Pokemon may have similarities to one another, it's unknown why there are so many of these compared to others.
Morpeko is one of the more unique members of this group. Normally, these Pokemon are as docile as most of the rest. Yet they can be very fierce when hungry; their skin tone changes to a sickly purple when they are. They have a small stomach, so they fill up easily at least. But in battle is when things go a little sideways for them.
Their unusual brain impulses make them believe they are hungry when they are not. Coupled with how one expends energy faster when exerting oneself, they tend to switch between their two forms constantly during battle. More disciplined ones can rein this in. Other trainers give them a supply of seeds, so they can control this periodically. In spite of this, the only effect it has on the Morpeko is their personality (in some), appearance, and the Type their signature Aura Wheel takes on. It is because of this hassle that it is one of the few Pikas not recommended for new trainers, and even experienced ones can have difficulty working around it or training their Morpeko to manage.
Menacing moves:
• Thunderbolt: The premier Electric-type move. It's a powerful yet efficient discharging of electricity. Besides those of its type which frequently learn it, many Pokemon are capable of manifesting Thunderbolt with proper training, making it a popular choice of attack among trainers.
• Thunder Wave: A precise and weak jolt. While the damage might not even be existent, it is especially effective at inducing paralysis.
• Thunder: The Pokemon uses its power to summon a thundercloud which then crashes lightning down. It takes a lot of effort to execute and is not very accurate, especially in clearer weather or in the presence of an artificial light. But because it is technically external, Pokemon can use this to activate their own abilities.
• Volt Tackle: A move made famous by Pikachu. It is an advanced form of the common Wild Charge, recklessly tackling an opponent while shrouding oneself in electricity. You can find it referenced in many anime and video games.
• Magnet Rise: A precise technique where the Pokemon manipulates electricity in just such a way as to rise off the ground. It takes training to actually do more than levitate with this. Some Pokemon have a natural affinity and the Magnemite line doesn't even need to use it to avoid attacks along the ground.
Noteworthy Pokemon in-fic: Nori Carino's Pachirisu "Pachi"
One of the main Pokemon of the fic! He was a Gym Pokemon of Sunyshore – basically extra security and adding to image – who took a shine to Nori. Volkner gave him to Nori as part of his training to learn how to raise Pokemon from the (relative) start. Pachi likes being out of his ball, and despite some initial reservations about looking like a stereotype, Nori makes sure to let him whenever possible.
Pachi is outgoing, nice, and even innocent – but has a sense of justice as well. He has a solid understanding of English due to spending enough time around humans speaking it (i.e. he hears words and understands them rather than just understanding intent), though like most Pokemon, can't speak it. He conversely has a bit of trouble with untranslatable words in Pokemon languages.
Growing up around so many humans and their partners who are serious about battling had Pachi take up an interest as well. It's not what he lives for, but he's always eager to go at it. He may not be Nori's strongest Pokemon, but he's still tough and unquestionably the sanest. Though it also makes him the most likely to have friction with Nori's assignments.
In a nutshell: Grass
Once known as the Plant-type before studies showed that ones like Chikorita and Deerling are closer to animals than plants. Still, even those closer to the latter have internal organs and aura: an indicator of a Pokemon's life. The signature line of moves across all Grass-types is powder and spores, which Lepidopteran Bug-types also use. Most are extremely resistant to their effects as a result.
It was chosen as one of the three typical "official" starter types for most Leagues due to the ease of understanding the Grass/Water/Fire relationship. Critics have pointed out the imbalance in type effectiveness particularly affecting Grass, but can name no better alternative. Some try mind you, but Dark/Psychic/Fighting was always inequitable within itself, and Flying/Rock/Fighting is also kind of imbalanced due to Rock's resistance to common Normal-type moves.
Who's who of type experts 1: Erika Nanairo
Erika is a 31-year-old florist who raises Grass-type Pokemon to aid in her work. If it's about flowers, she probably does and teaches it: flower arrangements, flower language, fortunes, etc. She is an example of a Gym Leader who was not offered a position due to strength in the Leagues but by being noticed for type specialization. She had to pass a battling test, which she did with flying colors, and has served as the Celadon Gym Leader since 2006. Behind her airheadedness and even sleepyheadedness lies a confident and prideful individual. Famous for her traditional Japanese style. In spite of this, she does not belong to any one faith.
Her Celadon Gym neighbors a greenhouse, where people can go to relax, enjoy the aromas, and sometimes learn about plants and flowers. The Gym itself is also a miniature garden, the battlefield allowing her Pokemon to take full advantage of their natural habitat. It was once the subject of controversies surrounding discrimination against challengers. Japanese laws are very strict on reasons for refusing someone a Gym Battle, and gender and disliking a perfume shop sponsoring it are absolutely not valid. It was only because these incidents were perpetuated by her shop's staff that it remains open.
Erika has a mild interest in human rights. She mainly hires female staff (and only has female Gym Trainers) to give them opportunities they might otherwise have difficulty getting. She started to hire male florists after the above incident, as a message to those who she didn't fire outright that discrimination of any kind is not okay.
Some ask questions about her orientation from that and her badge name. "Rainbow" Badge was inspired by her surname and colorful flowers. Kanto badge names used to just be colors. They were renamed in 2008, and Erika chose to keep the name. She herself is completely straight, as some were embarrassed to find out. Though she hasn't found an ideal partner yet and isn't in a hurry to do so. Her standards are pretty high too…
People are frequently surprised to learn that Erika is the one the other Kanto Gym Leaders look up to the most, despite not being the most senior. She's not only reliable, but they simply trust her to be impartial and make the right decisions. You can say that she also has levelheadedness.
Who's who of type experts 2: Aoba Medoruma
When it comes to type expertise, sometimes it is the type that chooses the trainer. This was the case for Aoba Medoruma, a priest of the Mitsutri Shrine who also worked with the Pal Park in Ramanas Town. Aoba often went to the wilderness to meditate. Someone of a stern and aloof man, he enjoyed being in vast meadows surrounded by nature.
It was during one of these outings around 1983 that he was disrupted by a commotion: a Tropius being pursued by a group of angry Stuntanks. Aoba rose and, though not understanding, managed to defuse the situation with a few well-placed words appealing to their better nature. It worked, and the Tropius, feeling in debt, pledged herself to him. He did not accept – even if it was the Pokemon's wish, he felt she was only doing so to repay him. Lending his help was enough, as far as he saw it. But the Tropius kept showing up whenever he went to the meadow. After one and a half years of this, she turned up injured. It became apparent that the Tropius had nowhere else to go. Facing criticism by the Kannagi Shrine, and just feeling ashamed of not seeing it in general, he finally took her on as his Pokemon. That made three Grass-types he owned along with his Sinnohian Lilligant and Tangela.
Becoming a Gym Leader wasn't originally in the cards for him. He had little practical battling experience, but received the nomination by the head of the Mitsutri Shrine during a league opening in 1987. His Pokemon had the power from his care, so he dove into researching battle techniques. It led to him being named the Gym Leader of Ramanas Town. He had a reputation of being prickly as a thornbush, never hesitating to criticize a challenger he felt was not treating their Pokemon to his standards. He took a simple yet effective approach to battling. Thankfully, Sinnoh's flexibility when it comes to Type experts allowed him to expand his roster while still adhering to the shrine's stance on not favoring a Pokemon over any other.
Sadly, Aoba passed away in July of 2005 at the early age of 48 from an undiagnosed heart disease. Pal Park's mascots became his two most well-known Pokemon to honor him. League Officials had to scramble to find a replacement before the League started in August. Many attended his funeral, including his fellow Gym Leader and religious rival Warutsu Amaya. While their methods and beliefs differed, they had a mutual respect as those who brought humanity and Pokemon closer together.
Pokemon commentary 1: Exeggcute
These are some of the more unusual Pokemon in the world. Closer to seeds than eggs, they gather in groups of five to eight. They become fearful with less and cannot handle the strain with more; six is the optimal number. The telepathic connection between bonded Exeggcutes are so great they become of one mind and body. Even the earliest Poke Ball analogues treated them as one and captured them together. Those who cannot form large enough groups (or are captured before then) form very close attachments with other Pokemon or their trainer.
They have several evolutions. Exeggutor is the most common. The bodies merge during the process of turning into a palmtree like figure. This causes side effects, particularly with odd numbers. Heads rendered mentally unstable or those who don't merge may drop and become an Exeggcute once more. In tropical regions with sufficient sunlight like Alola, they grow huge. This weakens their Psychic powers, but they become draconic for some reason. There is no evidence of ancient Dragon-type Exeggcute or in their genes, so this is simply one of the many things that conventional science can't explain about Pokemon. Rarely, a lone Exeggcute can evolve into something else entirely…
Pokemon commentary 2: Fruibbit
Also known by its traditional Japanese name, Kajitto. Fruibbit is a very colorful Pokemon: primarily a pinkish red with green on the tips of its tufts and yellow on the bottom of its massively oversized ears, belly, and over its eyes. It is a very distant relative of Victini.
They like eating fruit and berries of all kinds, the juices of which coat their skin. The large ears of Fruibbit make them slow, and sensitive to sound. Their vibrant colors make it difficult to conceal themselves. If they hear a predator coming, they'll try to duck into a burrow or tree hollow or run away. The latter usually gets them caught. Wild ones tend to be passive, relying on distracting opponents with overpowering scents or spraying acidic juices. It might take a bit for a freshly caught one to break out of this habit, but they can prove surprisingly versatile in battle once they do.
In some parts of the world, the rate at which they bred could not keep up with the number being hunted, causing them to go locally extinct. Thankfully, conservation efforts have been getting ahead of the game. They're a common sight in sanctuaries and zoos.
Menacing moves:
• Solar Beam/Solar Blade: These famous attacks absorb light from around them – best from the sun, artificial or otherwise – and fire it off, either as an energy attack or through a sharp appendage. Grass-types are the most adept at using them due to their natural affinity for photosynthesis, but many Pokemon can make use of them.
• Vine Whip: This attack sees the Pokemon use or sprout vines from their body. While a lash by default, it can be used in many other ways. It's one of the best examples of how versatile one move can be. Some regional starters were even chosen because they can learn Vine Whip.
• Powder moves: Powder moves involve releasing dust or spores of varying effects from flowers (including miniature ones on the body), wing scales, etc. They can have an effect when inhaled, but are best when gotten in the eyes, hence the Safety Goggles item.
• Absorb, etc.: Attacks of varying power that are like a plant draining nutrients from the soil. When the energy sphere the Pokemon launches connect, it takes effect and siphons energy away. Especially good at restoring stamina.
• Aromatherapy: Despite its name and scent, this move is actually a form of superclean air that can heal poisons, rouse a slumbering Pokemon, and even have a soothing effect on burns, frostbite, or stiff muscles. Strangely, even just surrounding a Poke Ball can heal its occupant despite them being sealed.
Noteworthy Pokemon in-fic: Prema Kannagi's Dartrix "Yahata"
This was Prema's second Pokemon, which was by happenstance a formal starer. Named for an ancient Japanese God associated with archery, Yahata is stoic and serious. He sees himself as a protector for the future head priestess of the Kannagi Shrine and is never one to miss training. There was once a time when he was too into it, only changing (if only a little) when Prema made clear he's her friend first.
Still, like the shrine's teaching say, training Pokemon is just one of the many ways humans can bond with them. He approaches battles with cool precision. Unlike most of his species, he keeps his eyes wide open for alertness and dignity reasons. He seems to be perpetually glaring because of it. He doesn't care how he looks, though Prema has occasionally had to assure others that he's friendlier than he seems.
In a nutshell: Poison
While there are plenty of Pokemon that can use or secrete poison like Quagsire, Poison-types have it as a significant part of their biology. A number of these Pokemon owe their proliferation or even existence to humanity. Besides various solid, liquid, and gaseous toxins, acidic moves are also a part of this type.
Pokemon poison is thankfully not lethal to humans in most cases, though they can still get someone very sick. When not exerting themselves, a Pokemon can actually shake it off on their own – including and especially if incapacitated from it. Poison-types themselves have proven to be highly resistant to toxins, and new medicines have been developed from them.
Who's who of type experts 1: Gasha Qian
The current Gym Leader of Veilstone City, known as the Toxic Gambling Lady. She is also a Grandmaster Coordinator and the owner of the Game Corner. She hails from an undisclosed region in China. All of her Pokemon are in-universe named after various betting methods. For example, Labouchere the Dustox, Paroli the Tentacruel, and her ace: D'Alembert the Stuntank. While she has no formal Gym Trainers, her Gym's puzzle is a miniature contest stage with employees who act as judges. She is a frequent host as Veilstone's own Contest Hall and sometimes gives advice or training to those who need it.
Gasha is a showwoman who loves the spotlight. Pokemon Contests came naturally to her. She found Sinnoh to have the best competition during her travels; she developed a friendly rivalry with a Kalosian woman who went by Fantina (who also went on to become a Grandmaster Coordinator and Gym Leader in Sinnoh), and one Johanna Bright. Gasha always believed fate was whimsical, so when she heard of a failing arcade in Veilstone on one of her visits to the region, she thought it was written. All she had to do was take the risk in buying it. Gasha had a radical plan to revitalize it: make it appeal to kids and adults and make it stand out. The place got a vibrant and flashy makeover, adding gambling alongside games. One of the things she added was a battlefield where you could challenge her or others in matches where prize money was on the line (the corner taking a modest 10% cut). Her skill and surprise through unorthodox Contest-inspired techniques led to a lot of money raked in, as well as the League's notice. Fantina and Johanna both vouched for her, and the rest is history.
She is a firm believer in giving others chances to shine. A case in point, when a dangerous Pokemon prowling Veilstone (that wasn't her job to deal with) was cornered in a trailer park, and some boy stood up for it, she was intrigued – especially when Lady Prema Kannagi was with him. Then she couldn't help herself when he said he "bet" he could reform the Pokemon. She put measures in place in case he failed/the Pokemon escaped, but he succeeded! It just goes to show what someone can do when all eyes on them.
Who's who of type experts 2: The Koga Clan
A family of ninjas with a history dating back 400 years. They specialized in stealth and assassination. Their skills are practiced as a tradition these days. Their current careers include bodyguards, magicians, and yes – Pokemon Trainers. The head of the clan simply goes by Koga. One of the most prominent in the modern era is a Gym Leader in Kanto turned Elite Four in the same region. His real name is Kyou. Like his daughter and many of the clan, he favors an indirect approach to Pokemon battles, often frustrating more impatient trainers into making mistakes that they capitalize upon. Not much is known about the private lives of clan members. It is written in their code to keep personal affairs away from their public affairs. This rule does not apply to those they have trained, although they are forced to swear an oath of secrecy.
They have a small rivalry with the Iga Clan which persists in friendly terms to this day. While their core skills are similar, their choice of Pokemon and ninjutsu techniques differ. Poison is the most common choice of type in the Koga clan and all the heads of the clan train in them, although Psychic and Bug are not far behind.
The clan made the move Toxic widespread. Their special TMs allowed almost any Pokemon to use the move through ninjutsu. The clan stopped producing them shortly after his promotion to Kanto Elite Four member. Subsequent mass-produced Toxic TMs are more limited in what can learn the move.
Pokemon commentary 1: Nidos
While Pokemon with gender differences exist, some of which have significant differences between males and females, there are few like the Nidos where they're different enough to be considered entirely separate species. Some Pokemon take after animals for reasons unknown, but there is no one animal the Nidos appear to take after.
Pokemon society is never as diverse as some think (PMD), but the Nidos are especially isolationist. If they mingle with others, it's because they're either new-age, they respect them, or it's a mutualistic or commensalistic relationship benefiting them. The variety of moves they can train to learn gives them an edge in defending their territory. The most important member of Nido society is o'Fyma, roughly translating to "esteemed mother who gives birth". When females evolve, their bodies reproductive organs become inoperable for reasons some have gone on record as saying "the progenitor's idea of a twisted joke". An o'Fyma is one who is born unusually large, allowing their bodies to handle laying more than one egg. They maintain their size upon evolution; the telltale sign is the size of their spikes and especially horn (or having it at all in Nidorina's case). They are often granted leadership of the colony upon evolution to Nidoqueen. If an o'Fyma isn't born or something happens to her, it bodes ill for the colony…
(I actually think it's dumb and makes no sense from a gameplay perspective where its only source is in obscure secondary material that doesn't bother to explain why this one species becomes infertile. So I tried to make sense of it and ended up with something horrifying that I decided to run with.)
Pokemon commentary 2: Trubbish and Garbodor
Some Pokemon owe their proliferation, if not their existence to humanity. Faiths with a link to them such as the Kannagis point to this as being one of the ways that humans enhance the lives of Pokemon in return. Trubbish and Garbodor are two such species.
These two Pokemon originally appeared in the 1950s in a prairie region in Canada, coinciding with the invention of the garbage bag. They are a relative of Grimer and Garblin¹, in how they're a mixture of hazardous waste and regular garbage. They are moving sentient trash bags. Their favorite food is organic waste, but they can eat anything. The smell and composition of a Trubbish or Garbodor very much depends on their diet. Some domesticated ones can smell positively pleasant. Conversely, one that has feasted on industrial waste is incredibly dangerous (one of those rare exceptions). You are what you eat indeed.
These Pokemon are incredibly unpopular for their ugly looks, being pests, and typical foul odor. In spite of this, they are actually inherently incredibly friendly to humans. They are the reason for their being and a good food source, after all. It's only because people have treated them so poorly that some have become meaner. On the brighter side, some places have even used them to dispose of waste. Ironically, a variant of Grimer was produced that consumes garbage, which became a natural enemy to these Pokemon (and more popular for not smelling). It has led to them being threatened and even driven out of some regions. Conservationists have been trying to prevent this, because they're still Pokemon like any other.
¹Idea is uncontained trash on the wind, Gobaltrash evo. Think Bramblin/Brambleghast but garbage, like how Toedscool is Tentacool but mushroom. Yeah, made-up, but then answer me this: what were garbage Pokemon like before bags?
Menacing moves:
• Toxic: The most infamous move of the type, infecting Pokemon with a poison that worsens as time goes on. Poison-types specifically can activate inert toxins in a target's body, making it highly accurate.
• Venoshock: Spews a toxic stream, globs, poison darts, or some such. However a Pokemon uses this, there is one constant: if a target is poisoned, this momentarily intensifies it. It can't poison on its own.
• Clear Smog: The strange gas in this move causes Pokemon to lose any temporary stat changes. It works by cleansing one's body and mind of any impurities. However, the shock of it also causes minor damage.
• Gastro Acid: Coats the target in a special stomach acid that has the unusual effect of neutralizing their special abilities if enough of it coats a Pokemon's skin. Some abilities that are more deeply infused into the Pokemon's biology or psyche can't be affected by this.
• Purify: Strangely, this move is a Poison-type one. Associated with the unpoisonous Pyukumuku, the Pokemon absorbs irregularities in or on the target's body - not just toxins, but burns, muscle discomfort, or even ice and irregular slumber. It then processes them to restore its own health. It's sort of an enigma.
Noteworthy Pokemon in-fic: Nori Carino's Nidorina "The Demon"
A once-unknown (due to camouflaging) infamous for assaulting Pokemon – trained and wild alike – at seemingly random. Trainers wanted to catch her, authorities wanted to get rid of her. She was smart, however, injuring and leaving as quickly as she arrived. After a year of this, she was finally found and pursued by police to a trailer park, where she had a chance meeting. She was a former o'Fyma who loved fighting and hated the idea of being used as a breeding tool. A lot of stuff happened, culminating with her evolution and being cast out as a race traitor to all Pokemon.
The Demon is fiery and tough, with power trained Pokemon only reach after years, but is something of a misanthrope with strong opinions. It was unlikely she would've listened to anyone even if they caught her; after all, who do these idiots think they are telling her how to fight? The only reason she was fine with Nori is that A) he lets her be her, B) he does contribute to helping her get stronger but doesn't overbear, and C) he would let her fight more opponents and in an official capacity. She thinks meeting an ideal trainer is further proof the gods have twisted ideals. He kept the nickname out of lack of ideas which amused her. While aloof, she accepts Pachi for his strength and other reasons she won't say…
In a nutshell: Fire
One of the most destructive types around. When constructing a building, fireproofing it against Pokemon is a top priority. This goes extra for anywhere battling happens. It was a problem way back when with battling as sport, before massive strides were made in construction during the industrial revolution. Pokemon themselves are able to control their flames so they don't catch things alight. That said, there's no accounting for accidents or malicious behavior.
Fire types are the best at using flame. They can even shield themselves against burns. For Pokemon that have flame burning on them or are made of them, their intensity is an indicator of their life force. Charmander is the most famous example of this. It doesn't work the other way around: extinguishing the flame won't harm the Pokemon.
Who's who of type experts 1: Flint Donaldson
Flint grew up on Batalson Island in what's commonly called the Survival Area, along with his mother, father, and little brother Buck. One day on an adventure to Stark Mountain without friends or adults, he was confronted by a group of Koffings. He would've been in trouble if not for an Onix saving him. She followed him and became his first Pokemon at the fresh age of nine. His parents moved to Sunyshore for work a year later, which is when he met a hotshot trainer in school called Volkner Denzi. Volkner was way above everyone else until Flint showed up.
The two went on journeys the same year. Compared to his friend's solo trip, Flint found a companion: Hinata Hanabusa, who became his first Gym Trainer and much later his partner. Though he wanted Volkner, he accepted that was impossible and was fine with a woman if it was her. She was interested in him for a while, only to give up and marry another man. She took a chance in wake of her divorce. As another contrast between his friend, his Gym Trainers were more varied in age, all united by their love of Fire-types. They're practically a family.
Type experts in Sinnoh aren't expected to go full monotype, but Flint is particularly infamous for not even having enough Fire-types to make a full team. He actually originally wanted to be a Ground-type expert in the Survival Area due to Gneiss (his Steelix). The League refused both: they considered Batalson Island an extension of Sinnoh, and they wanted to avoid overlap with Bertha in the Elite Four. He chose Fire in Snowpoint based on friends' comments: Volkner sarcastically called him hot-blooded, and Hinata said he warms everything around him. He has an eye for talent and business, running a hot spring on the side.
When an Elite Four position opened, Flint competed with Volkner for a position. He won by default and felt bad. He felt he didn't deserve it, admitting Volkner would've won if not for the scandal. Volkner was always the better trainer as far as he saw it, and had a better bond with the young official he was training, even if he technically shook up his Gym worse. He never did know what to do with Sofie Shadden even at the end. But he's going to do his best.
Who's who of type experts 2: Bernard Moore
As of present time, he is the current Gym Leader of Lavaridge Town. Starting out with a Cyndaquil, he went on a journey and almost became Champion in his youth. He rose through the ranks and became a Gym Leader and eventual member of Hoenn's Elite Four. The plethora of Fire-types on Mt. Chimney made his type come natural to him. He stepped back into his former position in 2012 to focus on training his granddaughter Flannery, who wanted to follow in his footsteps. He is somewhat concerned about her capability, even if the League has given her a preliminary nod of approval. The time has almost come for him to pass the reins.
Bernard is something of a silly man who lives every day to the fullest. He's a stage actor in his spare time, and has also written analysis pieces on plays and poetry. He's Fire-type seniority in Japan, and is looked up to by many would-be connoisseurs of the type. Bernard is good friends with Blaine (another elderly Fire-type expert), Wilkstrom (a fellow stage actor), and Brycen (a fellow actor, even if he's more of a film guy). He also suggested acting to Sabrina of Kanto as an outlet.
His family is not to be confused with the O'Moore family who are prominent in the same region. He actually finds them annoying, and strives to not be as demanding towards his own family like the sisters' aunt/uncle.
Pokemon commentary 1: Pinnipomb
A Fire/Water type, and a distant relative of Popplio, entitled the Bomb Seeker Pokemon. Their preferred habitats are streams and lakes near volcanoes, but any warm body of water will do. These mischievous Pokemon enjoy balancing round objects on their nose including other Pokemon. A favorite pastime of theirs is annoying Pokemon like Geodude and Voltorb, and throwing them before they can explode. A Pinnipomb can use a variety of moves including Scald and Pyro Ball. They can have a rare ability that boosts the power of bomb and ball moves, though have limited use of it.
They have been known to roast food and bring it underwater to share with other Pokemon species. They tend to only prey on small animals and have few predators themselves. If they are attacked, they tend to flee rather than fight back. A cornered or angered Pinnipomb can be particularly aggressive, however, and can generate enough heat to use Flame Charge underwater.
They are particularly noteworthy for having once been considered for implementation into the virtual adventures, only to be dropped for reasons unknown.
Pokemon commentary 2: Darumaka and Darmanitan
Darumaka is your average Fire-type without much in the way to write of it. Hyperactive and cheerful, yet they sleep oddly soundly. They are most notable for their droppings: not smelly, not sticky, and stay warm for extended periods of time. They have been used as heat sources on cold nights. Some places consider them a symbol of good fortune due to their uncanny similarity to Daruma dolls, which are their namesake. Upon their evolution, they become quite literally hot-blooded. They spar with each other and other Pokemon in the wild just for fun, which can annoy their more peaceful neighbors.
In spite of their strength and fists, they are single-type Pokemon most of the time. Pokemon have many type energies within them, but only the prominent ones manifest on a biological level (affecting weaknesses, etc.) with a maximum of two under normal circumstances. What's unusual about Darmanitan is that more introspective or calmer specimens have a special ability that activates when they are in danger. They transform into stone statues, but the Fire-type remains and their latent Psychic-type emerges – no sign of the Rock-type except in their moves. In this state, they become much more durable. A Darmanitan with Zen Mode is considered to be one of the toughest Pokemon to train to a high level due to the strategic and move requirements, but some have pulled it off.
One last thing worth mentioning is their Ice-type variant. While they adapted for colder climates, the Fire-type is still dormant within them. They are just as capable of using moves of the type as their usual relatives, even if they need external help or special training to achieve it. It reemerges when a Zen Mode Darmanitan changes form, taking precedence over their Psychic potential. This clash of types can harm the Darmanitan if it is sustained for an excessive amount of time. Cross-breeding has sometimes produced Fire-type specimens who can still use their father's Ice-type capabilities.
Menacing moves:
• Flamethrower: This is to Fire as what Thunderbolt is to Electric: a simple and efficient blast of flame that many Pokemon are capable of using. Once garnered infamy for not having TMs of it in production.
• Flame Charge: A close relative of moves such as Aqua Jet, this move goes a little slower as the Pokemon envelopes itself in its element, but focuses the energies and uses the momentum to give a lasting Speed boost.
• Will-O-Wisp: Commonly associated with Ghosts and Psychics who use this by manifesting burning grudges, Fire-types can nonetheless use this move simply by throwing out a concentrated fireball. These dissipate too quickly upon contact to do anything but burn.
• Heat Wave: Blasts out a wave of hot air. Winged creatures and Fire-types use it a little differently - the former by using wind and heating it and the latter by using heat and blowing it - and some can even use it by manipulating air currents. The result is still the same.
• Burn Up: Unleashes an intense blast of flame fueled by the user's own internal type essence. They temporarily lose their Fire-type as a result. The attack cannot be used without it and weakens subsequent moves of the type indirectly, so it tends to be a last resort. Time passing or being converted to Poke Ball energy restores it, so there are no problems with permanency.
Noteworthy Pokemon in-fic: Prema Kannagi's Volcarona "Taiyoko"
A powerful and once-independent Pokemon who used to inhabit a castle in the Unova region. She attacked Prema during her studies and defeated her two Pokemon, only to be defeated and captured by her father. He gifted Taiyoko to her under the condition she claim she caught it. Prema never considered herself worthy, but Taiyoko disagrees due to Prema's heart and inner strength, even calling herself Prema's laryeique - a subterran tongue term meaning one who follows a worthy leader.
Her strength and knowledge comes from close to a century of living. Truth be told, Taiyoko was growing a little bored with her life and wanted to find new meaning. Taiyoko couldn't ask for a better partner than one of the Kannagis. She is always willing to lend her aid. She gets along with Prema's other Pokemon too, acting as a mentor towards them. However, she has a fiery side when it comes to things she is passionate about, positive or negative. Particularly Pokemon who break their species' taboos.
In a nutshell: Psychic
This can best be described as mind given form to alter the world around oneself. Special attacks are blasts of energy, and physical ones concentrate it into an object. Status moves are plentiful in the type. They're usually ineffectual offensively on Dark-types, which are too set in their ways or strong-minded. They can also be beaten by anything that messes with their focus, or even straight up willpower in certain cases.
While many Pokemon can use Psychic moves, those of the type typically possess more specific mental capabilities beyond what you'd see in a Pokemon move. Unfortunately, telepathy tends to be hampered by language and cultural differences unless they've learned them for themselves; the same applies for humans gifted with similar powers (although there are some rare cases who can bypass this and understand anything). It still makes them some of the best at communicating with humans, and a lot has been learned about Pokemon from willing and knowledgeable Psychic-types.
Who's who of type experts 1: Lucian Azakami
Many Psychic-type trainers have powers of their own, often feeling a connection to the type. Not this guy. Considered in the top percentage of Psychic-type experts in the world, he has only ever seen or read about (he loves reading) ESP. Believes Sabrina's claim everyone has psychic powers is bupkis; given her instability, he may be right when it comes to humans.
Born on Batalson Island in a tourist town commonly called the Resort Area, life was sleepy for young Lucian. He dove into the world of books to escape the doldrums of life. Superheroes, fantasy adventures, detective novels, science fiction, ghost stories, basically anything fantastical was his favorite. However, he also had an interest in the mysteries and amazing aspects of the real world. He left on a journey after completing his education, traveling Sinnoh and the world to explore. Lucian's rise as a trainer came primarily from knowledge. Whenever he had an important match, he studied his opponent and their Pokemon extensively. He knew how to train Pokemon to their fullest as well. His eventual type was sort of coincidence: his starter Eevee evolved into Espeon, he befriended a Slowpoke while in Johto, and the Bronzor which became his ace was one of his first captures.
He placed high in many tournaments, eventually leading to offers of Gym positions. He thought that bringing a Gym to the Resort Area would help boost excitement and tourism, but ran into the same problem as Flint later would. So he infamously jumped ship to a region between Hoenn and Johto, putting egg on the Sinnoh League's face. The positions were ironically reversed five years later when Lucian stepped back from the role to return home, got offered an Elite Four position, and accepted. That they still hadn't changed their ways bothered him, but he thought maybe he could be the hero of Batalson…
His weakness as a trainer, ironically for his planning, is his by-the-bookishness and lack of adaptability – even as a traveling trainer if an opponent did something unexpected, he had trouble keeping up. He realized this during his time as a Gym Leader, but kept it up because he believes every obstacle should have a weakness to exploit. Whether his opponents realize it or find another way to overcome it is on them.
Who's who of type experts 2: Caitlin Burkhardt
Okay, so technical note here: most of what happens here hasn't happened yet. I go linear by game release, Adventures-style, and GSC was most recent off-camera to my Sinnoh-based series. But I figured this was the most interesting of canon stuff to write about (Sabrina gets covered later!).
Some humans are born with psychic powers, be they latent requiring training to unlock or manifesting at birth. Some of this is tied to blood, but it's not unknown for to just manifest out of nowhere like it did with her. Caitlin is what you would call a spoiled brat. She came from a prominent family (although not quite as big as the Berlitzes and the Backlots), was given everything she wanted, and self-styled herself as a princess. Like many young folks, she went on a journey. Hers had the benefit of tons of money allowing her to strengthen her Pokemon far faster than those of similar skill level. Then she suffered her first loss to Priest Warutsu Amaya in the Celestic Gym, and her powers activated and surged out of control, causing people and Pokemon severe headaches (some even collapsing) and minor damage to the building. People speculate that if it happened against anyone except a Dark-type expert familiar with this sort of thing, the damage could've been way worse.
She was instantly put on the blacklist – a list of trainers who cannot legally own Pokemon – and her Pokemon taken away, which almost caused another incident when she threw another fit, but the Officials thankfully had some foresight there. Only the fact that her family had connections and that Priest Warutsu vouched for her prevented her from it being permanent. The incident left her with lasting trauma, which was one more thing to take care of on top of needing to rein in her abilities. Suppressors didn't work, and were only forced in the case of abuse of mindreading anyway (an ability she did not have).
Her training has been going very steady. She's since been able to watch battles, although she still sometimes gets too excited during them. Her loyal butler Darach Sterling has been honing his personal style as to prevent this. It was recommended that she train with Psychic-type Pokemon not only as a means of helping her understand her gift, but to suppress her outbursts if necessary. However, the odds of her being able to compete in Japan again are slim, simply due to the fact that it involved the revered Kannagi Shrine (even if they let the incident go). Luckily, her family has a summer home in Unova which they are considering allowing her to use. The rest is future history.
Pokemon commentary 1: Unown
Pokemon shaped like letters from the Latin alphabet. Often found engraved on walls. It has now been confirmed that they came after due to old records and the existence of ones shaped after obsolete characters which are similarly extinct in modern times. Why they exist at all is a bigger mystery, but they seem to have a basic understanding of human language (especially their own letters) and subterran Pokemon have used them to develop their own language. Their name came from a remark by a Galarian explorer reporting an "unknown Pokemon" in some ruins in Johto, which stuck.
It is believed from ancient records they used to be far more powerful, capable of using moves such as Secret Power, Nature Power, and a move similar to Hidden Power that could strike any weakness. As-is now, an individual Unown is weak with only the usual Hidden Power most Pokemon can unleash. However, unusual phenomenon can happen when multiple Unown gather. Some believe them to have a connection to the Original One, but this hasn't been proven nor does it show in any major religion.
Pokemon commentary 2: Veluza
Most Psychic-type Pokemon take a mind over matter approach to battling and aren't well known for their physical prowess. Even those that are just as good such as Wyrdeer, or better at fighting close up like Gallade and Bruxish can still wield a range of special and status moves. Veluza is a rare exception.
While these fish are of the Psychic type, they have very little in the way of traditional power associated with the type. Unless specially trained, they only use it to sense the location of prey at night or in similar conditions where vision is limited, before charging in and attacking. They strongly prefer to manifest their abilities in their jaws, fins, etc. when it comes to using Psychic moves. Their persistence and habit of going after anything makes them a frequent pest.
A Veluza is capable of shedding flesh as a distraction to its own predators. This sharpens its body and mind as well, allowing it to use the technique offensively. Or use their decreased mass to make a quick getaway.
Menacing moves:
• Rest: Just about every Pokemon has the capacity to use this move, which manipulates the brain and body into rapid healing in sleep.
• Miracle Eye: This move allows an attacker to sense the minuscule weaknesses within hearts and hit with more certainty. It also allows their moves to affect Dark-type Pokemon as a result.
• Psyshock: An unusual move. While it is formed wholly with the mind, the energy blasts associated with this manifest physically like a long-range Psycho Cut would, making it a special move that targets physical defense.
• Synchronoise: This move sends out strange waves of energy attuned to the user's types, causing a feedback effect and several mental duress when it hits those who share at least one type. Because most of the users of this move are already Psychic-type and they themselves resist it, this move tends to be the brunt of jokes.
• Psychic: One of the most notorious moves. Used to its fullest, it can take total control over an opponent. This does have several weaknesses: one of sufficient will, mind, and/or body can overcome it, and it's very taxing (especially on larger or multiple Pokemon). In addition, it's unsporting and often limited or even outright banned in some official rules. Because of this, trainers typically have their Pokemon use it as a powerful energy blast. Telekinesis is a lesser version.
Noteworthy Pokemon in-fic: Kaede Minmei's Delphox "Fohoshi"
Kaede is of the fastest-rising members of the Kannagi Shrine, and is Prema's personal bodyguard. Trained by the Iga clan, Kaede Minmei is a master of indirect combat. While lacking in versatility and still fitting her theme, Fohoshi is Kaede's best Pokemon in open engagement by virtue of experience.
As far as personality goes, Fohoshi is practically in tune with her trainer. When Kaede is being showy, so will she. When Kaede is serious, she is too, although she's naturally predisposed towards the former. Between Wonder Room, Sunny Day, and Psychic Terrain, she has a lot of ways to mess with the battlefield. Fohoshi is good at concealing herself in those kinds of messes (especially heat hazes), and has ways of weakening her foes as well. However, it does take effort to set each of those up. Unusually for an Iga trainee's Pokemon, her range of moves is narrow.
In a nutshell: Ground
Just like how fireproofing a building is a necessity, so is protecting it against Ground-type moves. This is far easier, at least: many moves actually involve creating shockwaves that simulate localized quakes or creating dirt, earth, etc. The former can still be destructive (and highly accurate!), so upper floors especially need to be able to take these moves.
Pokemon of this type tend to be made up of softer materials than Rock-types. Because of their non-conductive skin, they are usually immune to Electric-type moves, but drenching them or somehow hitting the Pokemon's insides can work.
Who's who of type experts 1: Takashi "Giovanni" Sakaki
Born as the heir of the yakuza organization Team Rocket, young Takashi Sakaki was groomed from birth to take over the organization from his mother. She went as far to include the kanji for ambition in his name. However, he was disgusted by them and choose to strike out on his own as a Pokemon Trainer with his trusty Rhyhorn. It was something he excelled at, and he enjoyed the thrill of battle. He won badges from all across the world and even won a Championship – turning it down because he felt the position wasn't for him. He is much more commonly known as Giovanni, an he invented to distance himself from his family.
He eventually found a woman to settle down with, and needing an outlet for his battling itch, lobbied to become a Gym Leader which the Kanto League jumped on. Things were good for a while, he had a kid and everything, even got to choose his preferred type. He could've easily made Elite Four or Kanto League Champion if he felt compelled, and he almost did because of his son's expectations. But three things pushed him to take up his criminal birthright. The first was the unexpected passing of his wife in an accident. The second was boredom with testing trainers. Last was suffering a humiliating loss in a Gym Leader tournament – he needed more power, so he would take it. The rest is history.
He gained the support of three other Gym Leaders in the region – one willing, one not, and one somehow both at once. His plans got as far as taking control of the Silph Building in attempt to force them to produce a Master Ball. A certain scientist who was involved speculates this was to capture the original copy of Mew, which was sealed away in an unknown dungeon. In any case, the takeover failed due to the good half of Sabrina, the Officials being competent, and meddling kids. The team, while driven out of Kanto, remained active in the Sevii and Johto regions.
As far as the public knew, he was just the Gym Leader who was infrequently around. Even some of the team wasn't aware of his dual identity. The Officials didn't have enough evidence either, which is why they had to let him go when he disbanded the Team in shame after they were defeated. Some believe his attempted takeover of Kanto was a means of destroying the team. Whatever the case, he left to become a wandering trainer again to gain power his own way, going as far to attend some tournaments. Ironically, his own son was disgusted by him and set to walk a similar path of independence and Rocket-hating.
He has recently returned to leadership because what the remnants were turning his family business into utterly disgusted him, with plans to clean up the organization with the ultimate goal to turn it legit. Out-of-universe, because really, more people need to write post-RBY Gio rather than what the anime made him become in subsequent games, but I'm splitting the difference.
Who's who of type experts 2: Clay Castillo
A mountain of a man hailing from an American region where everything is bigger. Clay is the overseer of a mine in Unova, which is also the location of the Driftveil Gym (so he can handle both of his jobs at once). He relocated to there from his home region as part of a business venture. While he is technically the president of his own company, he often gets personally involved with the work with his Pokemon and his trusty pickax. He has very high standards for anything, although he has an appreciation for people who are both willing and able to follow their dreams. It's what he did, after all, going from rancher to miner.
Clay has many epithets: his official title of Underground Boss, the Miner King, the Dusty Cowboy, and a few others. He got his Gym Leader position when the incumbent Gym Leader of Driftveil stepped down to start a family, and suggested him as a replacement. While annoyed at first because he had one himself and never let that slow him, he eventually accepted at his workers' behest. Ironically, he rose to become the leader of the Unovan Gym Leaders due to his charisma and management skills. Whenever the League needs a representative, he's usually the one they send, especially if the Champion Alder isn't available and sometimes even when he is. People think he can become even better, but there's too much else in his life to focus entirely on Pokemon.
Clay also happens to be an automobile enthusiast. He formed an unlikely acquaintanceship with Volkner Denzi during a global Gym Leader meetup because of it. Though their tastes in vehicles differ, they both enjoy working on them in their spare time. One might expect him to be good friends with another Sinnoh Gym Leader, Byron Vass: also a father, leader, and Gym Leader involved in mining. However, Clay doesn't like the guy, for reasons both slightly sensible (seeing him as a business rival) and petty (disagreements with how Byron treats his family).
Pokemon commentary 1: Infused into earth
There are a number of Pokemon who appear to be permanently attached to the ground beneath them. Many of these are Ground-types, with Diglett being the most famous example. It's believed these are so attuned with their type that they stay in contact at all times. In all cases, they move by "gliding" along the ground (to the relief of building designers everywhere), not disrupting it unless they use Dig. Uneven surfaces and tough material seem to slow them anyway, however. These Pokemon go as far as pulling part of the ground with them when thrown or when using a move that elevates them (most need indirect means like Mimic). They even take some into their Poke Balls, making use of it in case they are sent out in midair. Because of this, some theorize that their burrow is part of these Pokemon's bodies, but the exact nature is under investigation.
It's always been known what they look like below, by the way. X-rays, predators, and the Pokemon themselves have confirmed their appearance. They give no indication as to why these Pokemon are the way they are.
Pokemon commentary 2: Golett and Golurk
Although the modern relationship between humanity and Pokemon goes back 1500 years, the two species were interacting long before that. These two Pokemon are such an example.
Rumors surround these Pokemon, wildly speculating that they were created by aliens, an advanced ancient civilization, or even came from the future. There is absolutely no evidence of any of that. What is a fact is that they are partly manmade Pokemon, sculpted from clay and earth, and that remains of them date back 3000 years. The most commonly accepted theory is that they are the spirits of fallen Pokemon given new bodies in exchange for performing labor, fused through an ancient ritual. They came to change over the ages after Dittos helped propagate their numbers, becoming more robot-like internally.
They are very faithful to the cause they serve. They silently carry out their orders, unable to speak yet able to understand others even beyond what all Pokemon are capable of. However, some seem to have what appear to be programming faults (for lack of a better term). Around half have difficulty handling small objects, and rarely one will disregard its own safety when attacking. Since it's unlikely that they would have intentionally been given these abilities, it's believed they developed over time.
Menacing moves:
• Magnitude: One of many moves that simulates localized seismic activity, as mentioned above. They're very effective on things in the ground, but won't affect things that aren't on it. This version is wild and quick, but very unreliable for it.
• Mud moves: While these are best used by Pokemon that can use Ground and Water attacks, a special TM let just about any Pokemon learn how to throw a Mud-Slap with whatever dirt is on the ground. They are good examples of Ground-type moves that can hit things that fly.
• Dig: While the property damage from using this move on a floor is less than you'd expect (the tunnels they burrow fill in behind them), most battlefields you see will be made of dirt, grass, or other easily replaceable materials to minimize what needs to be done. A well-trained Pokemon can take their trainer right out of a cave with this.
• Scorching Sands: A move innovated by humanity. The creator actually expected this blasting of heated sand to turn out to be a Fire-type move. It can be used creatively on things like Sand Tomb.
• Earth Power: By focusing their essence, this move causes a blast of pure Ground-type energy to erupt from the desired location.
Noteworthy Pokemon in-fic: Various Rhyhorns and Rhydons
During his initial training with the Demon, Nori Carino encountered a mother Rhydon on Route 214. It proved a powerful and worthy opponent for the Demon, and unbeknownst to Nori, the Rhydon recognized the o'Fyma. It was with Nori's advice to go for the legs that the Demon was first able to gain ground. They ultimately defeated her, and Nori realized the Demon wasn't so bad when she spared severely harming the Rhydon and seemed to urge it to stop fighting for its child's sake. A Rhyhorn got an off-hand mention as one of the opponents Nori had Pachi defeat during a bit of training.
And in Abyssal Despair, a member of Nori's middle school battling team, Emi Pikaru challenges him with a Rhydon. It brings back memories. Despite being exceptionally well trained, able to use Thunder to empower himself (or hit opponents at weird angles by deflecting it) and even use Water Gun alongside moves you'd expect, he falls to the Demon's superior level of power and combat experience.
In a nutshell: Flying
One of the more enigmatic types. It's unclear what separates something that floats or flies from a Flying-type. It encompasses birds, bats, a handful of flying bugs, wind elementals, and things that are just strange. The prevailing theory due to the likes of Hoppip and Rotom is that this represents an affinity with wind. There has been a push to rename the type, but it has never got any traction.
It is considered unsporting to have a flying Pokemon keep out of reach, but unlike the Psychic example, official events often don't bar this tactic entirely. Contrary to popular belief, Ground-type moves are not ineffective on Flying-types. Rather, they have a resistance and can avoid moves like Earthquake by floating over them. Certain moves can inhibit their ability to fly, removing this advantage.
Who's who of type experts 1: Xing
Current member of the Sinnoh Elite Four and a Flying-type expert at the ripe age of seventeen. Xing was born a male in a Chinese region, and started to identify as nonbinary when they were twelve. This caused severe friction with their family who strongly disapproved. Their experiences are well-known but often go unspoken out of respect. They managed to get on a boat to Hoenn with the help of a good samaritan who helped report their family. Xing is a pseudonym they adopted for the public; it's not their family or given name. They do not mind use of the latter (Kun) among officials or confidants.
Japan's regions have a lot of services for traveling trainers, so they started participating in Leagues, contests, etc. to make a living. They love birds for their freedom in being able to fly wherever they want, which settled their eventual choice of type easily. They actually got into the Elite Four directly thanks to Bertha and the then-outgoing Kenichi; they saw a trainer with a lot of untapped potential who badly needed nurturing, stability, and above all friends. Xing accepted their offer, also since it would mean being able to continue their education.
Xing's mental health is a concern of League Officials. Therapy has been helping, but they are very closed-off. They rarely open up, and it's only to a select few when they do. But when it comes time for a battle, Xing is almost trance-like in their tactics and strategy. They can even be ruthless; this is not out of cruelty or pragmatism, but because they feel every opportunity has to be taken. The only reason they are the first member of the Elite Four in hierarchy is because of the relative inexperience of their Pokemon. Their position may change in the future.
Who's who of type experts 2: Kahili Clubbe
While many regions have a Pokemon League of some kind, Alola only has an analog in its Island Challenge. Considered a rite of passage for youths, those who fail it often fall into society's cracks and have to move elsewhere. When little Kahili left on hers with just a simple Pikipek, her parents were very concerned about her future to say the least. Thankfully, she succeeded with flying colors and even defeated the four Kahunas in a gauntlet to become a champion.
However, she found herself somewhat directionless after. She enjoyed Pokemon, but there was no more to do in Alola. She took up golfing with her grandfather as a hobby and did quite well. With no infrastructure and the region's rigidness when it came to Pokemon training, the only chance for her to improve her team would be if she was accepted into a position in the Island Challenge. She was rejected by the Tapus, perhaps sensing that she wanted to do more than just test people. Either way, it was the last straw, and she left Alola.
She's set up shop on American's west coast and has become one of the nation's finest female golfers. She likes to use Flying-types to scout the wind and lay of courses before she takes a swing, and during world tours, makes sure to challenge local trainers whenever she can. Her love of them hasn't gone unnoticed. She has been offered positions in Leagues, but has so far turned them all down. Kahili prefers to be a challenger rather than the challenged, and frequently handicaps herself in both golf and Pokemon, like by taking a score penalty, using less Pokemon, or using Trick Room to slow her own team.
Pokemon commentary 1: Normal/Flying???
The Flying type is one of the rarest to see on its own, adding to the type's strangeness. Many birds that have no elemental affinity are Normal type as well. Nobody, Pokemon or otherwise, has been able to explain why it's the rarest of all types to see on its own. There has therefore been extensive research into those that are.
Tornadus, a type Pokemon revered in some cultures, is an avatar of wind. However, their counterparts also have the Flying type, muddying the waters. There are a line of cloud Pokemon who have been contrasted with Swablu (who later loses both types). Rookidee and Corvisquire proved promising research subjects for otherwise being similar to other birds. But the biggest thing has been the discovery that Hoothoot used to simply be a Flying-type despite being no different in appearance (unlike Noctowl). The prevailing theory therefore is that adopting the Normal-type was advantageous to birds' survival over keeping Flying alone. The Rookidee line is notoriously proud and may have chosen not to do so.
Pokemon commentary 2: Doduo and Dodrio
Flight is not a prerequisite to being a Flying-type Pokemon. Take these for example, two of many flightless birds. Their wings are too small to do anything but slow their descent. Flying Dodrio have become something of a running gag with trainers after the virtual adventures allowed them to use Fly. The developer has insisted it was for player convenience, but it has become famous enough to be kept in every iteration since.
What they lack in the air they make up for on the ground and in their jumping ability. Not quite able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but they can certainly hop up and glide. Having multiple heads isn't necessarily an advantage. While Doduo's are consistently completely in sync, Dodrio's are not. A chemical imbalance has caused each of the heads to only be capable of feeling or thinking certain things. Arguments between them are common, and they can even become indecisive. Thankfully, having a trainer to tell them what to do is often enough to calm them. They're an excellent example of Pokemon that thrived thanks to humanity: it goes both ways!
Menacing moves:
• Air Cutter: Whereas moves like Gust simply blow haphazardly with wings infused with Flying-type energy, one such as this take on a more precise approach, throwing out one small and sharp gale.
• Sky Attack: The Pokemon brings pure Flying-type energy to bear, so much that their body begins to glow. Then they launch forward with incredible precision. The strange avian shape that manifests as they do this gave it its original name: God Bird.
• Roost: The user of this meditates by relaxing all their muscles and fluffing out their feathers, rapidly heal any wounds and restore stamina. It's necessary to land on the ground to use this, which renders them vulnerable to attacks on the ground.
• Aerial Ace: Innovated by ancient samurai Sasaki Kojiro after seeing a bird's tail in flight. It is a slash so quick that it's nearly impossible to dodge once the opponent is in range and swinging.
• Mirror Move: The Pokemon stimulates its brain to perfectly copy a move it witnessed in the last few seconds, no matter how impractical it may be. Their brain, body, and aura will simply adapt to make up any difference. This and others are proof that all Pokemon are capable of using any move that doesn't require a secondary ability, even if they wouldn't be able to do so naturally or with training.
Noteworthy Pokemon in-fic: Chad Shosha's Noctowl "Theodore"
Chad is the captain of the battling team of Tobari Central Junior High school. His parents have very stringent expectations of his success – the kanji in their name is the same as part of the Japanese term for Champion. His strongest Pokemon is his Noctowl, who uses a combination of precision and hindrance to deal with opponents. Theodore has yet to be seen in combat, but is a constant companion of Chad. He can't well respond to his trainer venting to him, but he's always there to lend an ear when needed.
In a nutshell: Bug
Little (and not so little) creepy (and cutie) crawlies. There are many Pokemon that can be called Bugs. They don't necessarily need a certain body shape, unlike animals. As stated before, types seem to be more of an essence within Pokemon than anything.
Bug-types are usually easy to manage and many of them grow quickly. This makes them a popular choice for new trainers, and also popular to cycle out of a team. While they have a reputation as being weak, there are countless exemplars in both Pokemon and type expert. There's even at least one pseudo-legendary line and a Bug-type expert Champion.
Who's who of type experts 1: Katy Campos
A confectioner who lives in Cortondo, Paldea. The Patisserie Soapberry is one of the most popular attractions in the city. Katy creates all of her bakery's sweets by hand. Her Bug Pokemon help gather the materials from the nearby orchards and sometimes help in sweetening.
While she was teased for her size growing up, she was just as likely to fight back or pull some pranks herself, which made her respected. Her fascination for Bug-types goes back to her childhood. She found enjoyment in cooking classes at Manzana Academy during her teenage years: eating made other people happy, which in turn made her happy. As an adult, she eventually traveled out of Paldea for several years to hone her skills in Pokemon and baking before returning to her hometown where she established the Patisserie Soapberry. A couple of years later is when she was offered a position as a Gym Leader.
Katy is considered by many to be – or have been – one of the top Bug-type experts in the world. Her position is recent as of the series' present; she was recommended by her culinary teacher, Kofu Aguado. However, internal politics in the Paldea League ensure she can rarely go all out against opponents. It's part of why the Paldea League is less respected than others. She relishes the chance to face experienced out-of-region challengers. There have already been attempts to poach her, including offers of Elite Four positions. She turned them down because of her bakery.
Who's who of type experts 2: "Arty" Burgh Hivers
An artist living in Castelia City as its Gym Leader. Born in Nacrene City, he became interested in art when he was in grade 3 during a trip to the museum, but he struggled to find subjects that appealed to him. It was during a field trip to Pinwheel Forest when they saw a rare migratory swarm of Volbeat and Illumise did he realize: he could paint Bug-type Pokemon! They weren't exactly a popular artistic subject, let alone one to specialize in.
But in order to get them to cooperate and stay still, he had to catch them. And in order to show off their full potential, he had to train them. He decided to journey with them when he was 14. While he didn't finish, he still got what he was looking for. While he was a hobbyist painter for two years, he ended up a Gym Leader after helping protest an urban expansion project that would have built a town into part of Pinwheel Forest. While they only managed to negotiate a road through, Burgh decided to see if he could get more influence. He got more than he expected, thanks to Gym Leader Lenora vouching for his talent, and as of present time in the fic is the newest in Unova.
Burgh has since gotten stronger at Pokemon and expanded his skills into things like silk sculpting. He occasionally walks back to his hometown to get inspiration. Even his Gym is an artistic statement. He's particularly infamous for spending most of his budget changing up the puzzle or layout to suit whatever fancy he has at the time. It annoys the mayor of Castelia, but Burgh's Gym is a popular tourist attraction, so he lets it slide.
Pokemon commentary 1: Vivillion
There are many Pokemon that mimic the stages of a caterpillar in their evolutionary cycle. Vivillion is one of these, made distinct by its many wing forms. Which one it takes on depends on its environment, temperature, and even the weather upon the moment of evolution from Spewpa. While their wings become infused with power, their type and capabilities remain the same with one exception.
They are one of the few Pokemon to use the move Powder, coating an enemy in explosive dust. But their true signature move is Vivid Wings, unleashing the essence of nature within them. This can result in a Grass, Fire, Water, Ice, Ground, Steel, or Fairy-type move. Copying the move (through Mimic, Sketch, etc.) results in copying its type.
Pokemon commentary 2: Cutiefly and Ribombee
A common sight in tropical meadows. The average member of this species is particularly vain and hate to get dirty or even wet. They are able to sense subtle changes in atmospheric pressure and will shelter themselves before rain. They are also highly emphatic Pokemon. They've been known to hang around those with sunny dispositions. A Ribombee who likes their trainer will sit on their head or shoulders. However, Cutiefly who don't have a lot of joy in their lives have been known to bother those who do.
Ribombee is one of the most prominent users of Pollen Puff in nature. This move is used by blending spores and nectar they gather from flowers with a special fluid they secrete in highly specific ways. Any sort of residue will do. They're always eager to cheer their friends or good people up with tightly packed Puffs that have a good taste and high nutritional value. They also use these to distract foes or predators. Ones who are experienced enough can throw an unpacked Puff that will explode on contact, causing skin and eye irritation.
These two Pokemon are some of the smallest and most frail out there. Bats and frogs – actual animals – have been known to eat them. Pineco have been known to lure them by soaking themselves in nectar in as well. They like to hang around flower Pokemon, but can find themselves attacked by Pokemon who want the nectar for themselves.
Menacing moves:
• Spider Web: Coats the target in a sticky web that not only makes it difficult to flee, but also disrupts Poke Ball recall beams by refracting their energy.
• U-Turn: This strike infused with a Bug-type essence works in a special way for trained ones: they tether themselves to their Poke Ball by attuning themselves to it with residual energy from being inside, and pull themselves back into it after contact. This can override effects like the above because the tethered energy allows the capsule to recognize it. It won't work if something is blocking the capsule or if it's too far away. It can still be used by something not captured, though they obviously can't enter a ball.
• Pin Missile: Releases quills or spines from the body in waves to strike. Crafty Pokemon can use these as a shorter lasting Spikes attack.
• Signal Beam: This fires a concentrated beam of light that is pure Bug-type energy. The irritating noise it makes can sometimes disorient a Pokemon it hits.
• Fell Stinger: The Pokemon whips itself into a frenzy before striking with a barb, etc. It induces feelings of glee if it incapacitates something, encouraging the Pokemon to attack with greater ferocity.
Noteworthy Pokemon in-fic: Cameron Roseberg's Yanmega
More of an upcoming one, for lack of anything else and the only other one being a cameo. Cameron was the first opponent that Nori defeated with the Demon. Yanmega is his ace, and she was previously one of the Demon's many victims when she was wild. Of course that's motivation for another challenge. However...
Nicknameless, Yanmega always had confidence issues, especially after Cameron caught her. Especially with such a demanding and egotistical trainer who wants to aim for greatness. She resolved to try her absolute hardest as so to not be sent to a box somewhere. It worked, but her repeated failures against the Demon get her very worried about her future.
In a nutshell: Steel
Metals of all sorts. In spite of non-magnetic metals existing, Steel-types seem to be universally magnetic. Despite their myriad of resistances, resourceful trainers can exploit nonstandard weaknesses on them: coldness, corrosion, conductivity, etc. Steel-types' unique metabolism makes them highly resistant to poisons.
They are occasionally harvested for materials. It's naturally considered inhumane to do this with a living specimen 95% of the time (the other 5% are those who can shed their skin), but there have always been problems with poaching.
Who's who of type experts 1: Jasmine Pitt
The Gym Leader of Olivine City. While she never went on a journey at a young age, she studied to become a community leader. Part of this involved learning to train Pokemon to protect the town if necessary. It was only natural that she got noticed and offered a position as Gym Leader. She mused her type for a while before settling on Rock, mostly due to her bond with her Onix. In spite of her reputation as being shy and quiet, this is a veil for her true personality as a mature, (com)passionate, and confidant woman with a fiery side. In truth, that supposed shyness is simply that she has occasionally a bit of trouble with finding words when not speaking from the heart. It got blown out of proportion by her detractors; everyone has their own.
She changed her Gym's type when her Onix evolved; the League approved the choice when she showed she was committed and there wasn't a Steel-type Gym in Johto anyway. She is also notable for having multiple Pokemon of the same line: in particular a Magnemite and Magneton (Alphonse and Albert), two Togetic (Angelo and Angela), a Scizor (Ark) and a Kleavor (Axel), and two Steelix named Amandine and Rusty (she adopted the latter from a trainer who couldn't care for him anymore, so his nickname doesn't start with her favorite letter). She got into Pokemon Contests because of Rusty; he has a focus on Cuteness of all things and has done well in spite of the species not fitting it on paper. One of the most well-known examples of a Gym Leader owning Pokemon not of their type; discounting her Rock-types, the Ampharos (Ampere, Amphy affectionately) in the Glitter Lighthouse is hers.
She's good friends with many of the Gym Leaders of Johto, and is often considered their heart. Among other those in other regions, Flint Donaldson in particular is a close friend of hers due to their similar personalities and both's first Pokemon being an Onix that evolved into Steelix. She met him on a trip to Sunyshore, which she considers her second home due to also being a coastal town with a lighthouse.
Who's who of type experts 2: Steven Stone
The son of Joseph and Saiko Stone. His father is the current CEO of the Devon Corporation, one of Japan's largest research companies. Devon started as a small mining and manufacturing company, but they grew rapidly through good management, investments, and word of mouth. Steven was fascinated by the many pretty rocks. He went hunting for any he could find around his house, and always went with his father when he checked on the mines. Part of the reason for going on his Pokemon journey was to see rocks all over the Hoenn region.
His journey was backed by wealth, though he traveled much like any common trainer. His strategy was simple: use the Pokemon he likes and go after weaknesses. His plan was to travel the world seeing rocks all over the world and one day inherit the company. There was just one problem: he won it all. He quickly found that the position came with many responsibilities. There were public appearances, League management, and many other things that prevented him from pursuing his one true love as much as he wanted. Even when he got a chance to go to other regions, it was often just on business. He didn't just want to give up though: that would shame his family. So he sits in the position doing his best…for now.
Steven is good friends with Kallisto Keravnos, another young prodigy from an affluent family with a type preference. They attended the same summer school and hit it off right away. The two have a mutual kinship with each other and respect for each other's abilities. He even was one of the presenters of Kallisto's Medal of Valor. Another one of his friendships is with Wallace, the strongest Gym Leader in Hoenn. He openly wonders why Wallace hasn't tried aiming for Champion. He and Kallisto are both good enough, though the latter has explained why. He has a rivalry with his cousin, Joe Stone, who always gave him flak as a kid. But they're still family to each other, and Joe is often the first to jump to Steven's aid when he really needs it.
Pokemon commentary 1: Anchorage and Angorhead
They're Steel/Water types (and now related betas). An Anchorage has jaws strong enough to bite through steel. They fashion anchors from the hulls of sunken boats, if not pilfering them. They have mutualistic interactions with Dhelmise; they've been known to teach young Anchorage to use Anchor Shot, and sometimes attach to hunt food with them. They swing their anchor to attack and sometimes move.
They require a Heavy Anchor and a burst of energy (like from a trading machine) to evolve. Upon doing so, the anchor merges to become part of their body. Angorheads can attack by ramming foes with their horn-like head. They have a tough backside made of metal leading into a pointed and prehensile tail-fin. Capable of moving on land to a limited degree using their fins, much like a sea lion, though in the wild they prefer to only do so when necessary.
They get along with other sharks (Pokemon or otherwise) but fights for dominance among themselves are common.
Pokemon commentary 2: Honedge, Doublade, and Aegislash
Phantoms possessing swords. They stay sheathed when not in battle to protect their bodies and friends. These Pokemon are actually not particularly sharp. Honedge and Doublade are have blunt edges, ideal for denting armor. Aegislash is better about it, but its ornamental shape still limits it. However, their skill and raw force they can throw behind their slashes more than makes up for any design deficiencies.
The first two evolutionary stages tend to be reckless in their attack patterns, manifesting through their No Guard ability. Doublade attempts to make up for it by brushing away physical blows with one sword while the other attacks, but still get hit and are still very vulnerable to special attacks. Crafty attackers aim for their ribbon-like arms when possible. Aegislash gains a shield, but has difficulty focusing on offense and defense at the same time. Even though they hold the shield when unsheathed, they have to retract into their defensive form to effectively use it. All three have to rely on sensing auras: it's hard to see when you're swinging yourself around. The single eye of Honedge and Aegislash also gives them terrible depth perception.
Aside, it is not entirely true that gripping one of these Pokemon will invariably result in getting your life force drained. A skilled enough swordsman with a strong bond with the sword will be permitted to wield them. It's also incredibly inefficient, as anyone with enough talent is often good enough to fight alongside the Pokemon. Aegislash in particular are very choosy about their trainers. Some Doublade will never evolve for this reason, fearing what they might become.
Menacing moves:
• Metal Claw: The user of this hardens a sharp appendage with Steel-type essence and uses it to strike. Occasionally, a bit of it will remain after the attack is executed, effectively raising their attack stat. Iron Tail and Steel Wing work much the same way.
• Metal Sound: Scraps parts of a metal body together or uses soundwaves to generate something similar. Besides being annoying, it can cut through to a Pokemon's spirit to weaken it against special attacks.
• Metal Burst: The Pokemon stiffens and sheens its meal body and begins to gather energy, releasing it in a blast after being struck. It's less efficient than Counter or Mirror Coat due to having to prepare for both physical and special moves. Actually, this is closer to an inefficient Bide attack than those two moves.
• Magnet Bomb/Smart Strike: These two attacks home in on other Pokemon with pseudo-magnetic power, being attracted to a Pokemon's aura.
• Caltrops: This rare move spreads sharp steel around the battlefield that careless Pokemon might fall into. It's very similar to the Rock-type Stealth Rock and gets galvanized by Poke Ball energy much the same way.
Noteworthy Pokemon in-fic: Edward "Eddie" Hankstein's Magneton/Magnezone
Eddie is one of Volkner's Gym Trainers and this is his best Pokemon. It evolved into Magnezone mid-fic when he went on a trip with his geologist parents to Mt. Coronet in March; he previously had no time or excuse to go and didn't want to waste money on a Thunder Stone. A strong and sturdy Pokemon with a variety of strategies, including ramming with Iron Head or Body Press and using Lock-On to make its Zap Cannon or Thunder near perfectly accurate (plus Flash Cannon, etc). It was Nori and the Demon's biggest obstacle in a battle with his continued training by Volkner on the line. Eddie continued to use it periodically throughout the fic. It's mostly an obedient and serious Pokemon with not much in the way of emotion, although it can be thrown off by oddness.
In a nutshell: Fighting
What separates a Normal-type strike from a Fighting-type one appears to be technique. Pokemon of this type don't necessarily specialize in hand-to-hand – Lucario is the most famous example of preferring raw ki – but all are similar.
They are a popular choice of Pokemon for martial artists for practical reasons: they make good sparring partners. Throughout history, humans and Fighting-type Pokemon have taught or inspired new and different combat styles in each other.
Who's who of type experts 1: Kiyo Kobashi
A master of karate and former Gym Leader of Saffron City. Kiyo has an ego and the skills to match, and is the kind of person who can swing from calm to hot-blooded at the ring of a bell. He was also known to be very generous, giving Fighting-types out to trustworthy trainers with potential. Many of them he bred himself – he actually ran a caretaker's farm for a while. He is known to train in remote or treacherous locations simply because he can. Before Giovanni was known as the Kanto Gym Leader who frequently wasn't around, it was Kiyo. It eventually got to the point where he appointed his greatest disciple, Koichi Takenaka, as his successor. Or replacement in his absence in the formal sense: allowed by most Leagues so long as the trainer is a Gym Trainer, passes a competency test, and only temporarily (two weeks at max for most). If they're a notable Fighting-type expert worldwide, especially if they happen to be martial artists themselves, it's likely Kiyo visited or trained with them.
Saffron City was one of the few in the world to have two Gyms. Kiyo's was the original, but one day a newcomer named Sabrina was offered a position in Kanto and wanted to put her Gym there. Kiyo actually trounced her in the subsequent battle, especially thanks to his ace Annihilape, but allowed her to remain out of mercy and feeling there was no reason a city as big as Saffron couldn't hold two Gyms. The League acquiesced. However, Sabrina was notoriously unstable: it was well-known that she had two personalities, and the loss simmered in the mind of the cruel one (she used a whip for crying out loud!). She somehow got in League officials' heads years later, and threw out a second challenge when Kiyo was away training in the deserts of Orre. The result was the opposite: Sabrina winning and showing no pity. He was not happy about his Gym suddenly losing its status. So he turned it into the unofficial Fighting Dojo out of spite, and has since become an advocate of League reform worldwide.
Kiyo ultimately got the last laugh. His Dojo became highly successful, blending physical training and Pokemon training. The earliest branch location was in Sinnoh, started by an old training partner and then-Elite Four member, Kenichi. It is presently without a master, however. Kiyo even refused to retake his position as Gym Leader after Sabrina was scandalized for her connections to Team Rocket and actually vouched for her. After all, it was the cruel side that was in control then. He solved the issue and got his revenge on it by teaching Sabrina to hone her mind (an important part of martial arts!).
The result was effectively assimilating it into the kinder, true side that hated battling until then. She still does, but continues her work as a Gym Leader in order to atone for her actions. They've been unlikely friends ever since. There's rumors they're a couple behind-the-scenes, but both have denied it.
Who's who of type experts 2: Kimberly "Fairplay" Emerson
Kimberly is a woman who runs a renovation company based out of Veilstone City called Kim & Kim Reno. It started out as a two-person unit alongside her business partner, Baram Kim. While using Pokemon to do manual labor is common, where the two Kims shined was efficiency. They were both accomplished trainers in their day looking for a purpose. Baram handled the electronics and accounting side of things. Kimberly worked on carpets, furniture, etc. Her Pokemon did the heavy-lifting; she went as far as to go out and catch and train more Pokemon for the cause. A Hariyama to haul stuff with endurance, a Grapploct for carrying things with precision, and she already owned a Medicham which could lift more than his fair share while helping with Psychic powers, to name a few.
They had only modest success at first, but they got their big break when the Willins family got annoyed at their landscapers and decided to give this new pair that had been giving good reviews a chance to shine. Their quick and quality work impressed them enough to spread the word, and now Kim & Kim are the people to turn to in Veilstone when it comes to renovation. The two were able to expand their business from there and hire more people. They've even done some work outside the city if the offer was right, such as Flint's Snowpoint Gym.
She got tips from the Fighting Dojo in Veilstone back when it was not so run down, even if she was repulsed by the meatheads there (and not just due to her orientation). They made good sparring partners for her Pokemon, and taught her the intricacies of raising Fighting-types. Her use of Fighting-type Pokemon and talent did not go unnoticed. Gasha Qian made an offer to put in a word with the League, and the Dojo wanted her to take over (she was far better at Pokemon than their then-leader). While she didn't say no to the former outright – she begrudgingly admitted she missed battling – she wanted Kim & Kim to be her full focus.
Her wife gives her advice and support the rare times she needs it. If nothing else, she's someone to come back to after a long day. Kimberly has some strong opinions, like not capitalizing the word Pokemon, but otherwise treats business as business.
(Because really. Fighting-type experts in canon are a creative black hole: they're all martial artists or at least athletic. Other types are more varied!)
Pokemon commentary 1: Throh and Sawk
Many Fighting-types modeled their style after human-developed martial arts. However, the case of these two is so absurd, some wonder why it was never in the fictional Hisui stories.
It happened in Sinnoh in the late nineteenth century. Two unknown Fighting-type Pokemon resembling oni appeared atop Mt. Coronet. The blue one had a single horn and the red one had two. Their power and battles together were wild and unrestrained. Wild Pokemon who attempted to intervene were quickly swatted away. A few humans attempted to stop them through various means. Those who tried diplomacy were dismissed, and those who attempted force met with the same fate as wild Pokemon. The Master of the Kannagi Shrine reported feeling an immense pressure from the duo. It was collaborated by an Alakazam of a would-be attacking trainer, saying through telepathy that it could not focus.
Two new species had been discovered, but what were they? The horns and rivalry reminded many of the harbingers of wind and thunder respectively, although Throh wasn't the right color. Were they new creations of the Original One? Were they to be revered? As most stayed away while the talks went on, two brothers traveled up the mountain and challenged each of the Pokemon to single combat. At the end, the Pokemon lay defeated, not at the hands of Pokemon but at human martial arts.
They rose, beaten and humbled. They approached the victors, and then something strange happened. We have only the brothers' accounts to go on, but this is what they said.
"Manh," the red one spoke aloud. It was not unknown for Pokemon to speak; they have their own languages. But aside from the first word, they spoke Japanese. "What is that style?"
The one brother bowed. "It is called Judo."
"Kisama," the blue one pointed, bitter and frustrated. "How did you win?"
"Karate," came the reply. "And discipline."
The two Pokemon's fights had always been inconclusive, and they had never been defeated before. It was technique that triumphed over raw power. The two spoke briefly in their language, thanked the men, and said they had trained themselves well so they would do the same. About a year later, a new species of Pokemon was discovered in other parts of the world. One was red, one was blue. They appeared to wear the respective attire of the brothers, woven from materials like vines, etc., and fought with techniques resembling judo and karate respectively. What was even stranger was how many had lived for longer than a year, and through translators, spoke of gaining sudden inspiration to venture out into the world and train with discipline.
Pokemon commentary 2: Pancham and Pangoro
Rough and tumble Pokemon who resemble pandas. While they chew on leaves and twigs, they have very little affinity with Grass-type moves. Pancham are very impressionable yet loyal Pokemon. They bond to a leader and take after their mannerisms. Ones who have lived in the wild for longer can be harder to train. A person needs to prove themselves to be a more effective leader than what they're familiar with. There have been instances where a wild Pancham gets adopted by other Pokemon and does its best to fit in. They can't always get it right, and sometimes focus more on acting rather than doing.
Pancham has one of the more unique evolutionary requirements around: not only do they need to be experienced enough, but they also need an external source of the Dark-type to help the evolution along. Just being in the vicinity of one they consider to be trusted is enough. Attempts to induce it with other types or in other ways has seen limited success. In spite of their new type and harsh personalities, Pangoro are actually fiercely protective and only believe in paying evil unto evil. The average one respects despises cowardice but respects those willing to talk with their actions. They've been known to defend weaker Pokemon from predators, and act as stern but fair teachers towards those under their care.
Menacing moves:
• Body Press: This technique seems to have spawned from the saying "The best offense is a good defense". The Pokemon attacks by leaning into the toughness of its body. Because of this, a strong defense stat makes it more effective.
• Close Combat: This one goes in the opposite direction: "The best defense is a good offense". The Pokemon attacks with all its might, so uncaring of its defenses that they temporarily lower, seeking to fell a foe before they can fell them.
• Quick Guard: As another saying goes, fools rush in. This move sees the Pokemon manifests a very brief and large barrier. Moves imbued with temporary speed boosts like Quick Attack will crash harmlessly against it. Because of its precision, this move can be used repeatedly without risk like Protect, but far fewer Pokemon can make use of it.
• Seismic Toss: This attack takes the experiences of the Pokemon and focuses them into a powerful throw. It cuts through all defenses and becomes stronger with the Pokemon, but it isn't inherently strong on its own.
• Circle Throw: The Pokemon gathers energy in its palms and focuses upon the other Pokemon, before grabbing and tossing them. It takes a while to execute, though not as much as Solar Beam, etc. The energy involved is similar to that of a Poke Ball, which can trick a modern capsule into bringing a victim back inside if aimed well enough (and nothing blocks it). If not, it still launches them a considerable distance.
Noteworthy future Pokemon in-fic: Maylene Gavali's Toxicroak
It will eventually come time for canon to take over and Maylene – presently a recurring character and friend of Nori – to become a Gym Leader. She's already getting self-defense lessons and is going to be trained by Gasha Qian after circumstances I haven't decided yet. She'll get a Croagunk as a gift to blend Fighting and Poison, taking up the position of her ace.
I'll put one here for once: mentions of bullying, injury, death, toxic culture, gender reveals, and something. All nonspecific as usual. Don't let your imagination run too wild. Or do. Whatever suits you.
In a nutshell: Ice
While just another state of matter in nature, there is a distinct difference in the world of Pokemon between frozen water and the Ice-type. The former is why any Water-type who can endure it can use Ice moves, making some trainers shy away from Pokemon of the type itself. There are fewer examples of the opposite holding true; Chilling Water is one of the more common examples.
Ice-types are closer to "cold" types than anything. They have more weather and status associated with them than any other type. Ice won't stick to their skin during battles, and they're so used to the cold that frostbite won't affect them, either.
Who's who of type experts 1: Melony Winters
Galar's Pokemon League is often derided by the rest of the world by trying too hard, not being inclusive, and uncreative badge names. Many feel their culture instills toxicity into Pokemon training. This is very apparent to other Europeans when the most headstrong Galarian trainers visit their nearby regions, but it perhaps is no more apparent than to a mother.
No one can deny Galarian trainers' skills (if since the weak ones aren't allowed to continue officially), and with rare exceptions even their attitudes stay within boundaries. Melony Winters of Circhester is an excellent example. She loved Pokemon battling growing up. She managed to keep her personality on and off the battlefield separate, but on it, she was as harsh and severe as a snowstorm. Not only that, she was good at battling, way better than most. This resulted in her becoming a Gym Leader at the age of 21. Ice-types were suited to the environment in her hometown and she liked them anyway. Many would-be trainers were drawn in by her bubbly and cheerful personality, but only a few could endure her strict training (and many were shocked by it).
She was hopeful her children, Gordie and Ginny, would follow in her footsteps. She got them private tutoring, and was planning on passing her Gym down to them. But Gordie, while talented, became influenced by the worst of Galarian trainer culture. He resented her for many reasons and bullied his younger sister relentlessly to where she didn't want to be a trainer anymore. The two had a big falling out around the time Gordie left for his Gym Challenge, endorsed by his tutor. It was capped by him saying he would train Rock-types to crush her, and although he lost to her, more of the town took his side than she was expecting, which shook her worldview. Especially when her daughter openly questioned, "Mum, is this why dad left?" That said, Melony still does her best to support her son like any good mother would, and is the secret chairwoman of his rapidly-growing fan club. But if she finds love again and has any more kids, she certainly intends to raise them better. Preferably out of Galar.
She has several friendships due to her personality off the battlefield, including the Leaders/former Leaders Raihan (who considers her a worthy opponent), Kiyo (fellow proponent of League reform), Sabrina (by proxy), Jasmine (fellow heart of their League), Lorelei, Pryce, and Wulfric (also Ice-type enthusiasts), and even Giovanni (who also has child issues). She met most through worldwide tournaments.
Who's who of type experts 2: Grusha Nieves
Grusha was born in a tiny town on Glaseado Mountain. Snow blankets Paldea's peaks for over half the year, starting as soon as late September and sometimes lasting into early May. Not everyone who lives in parts where it's common enjoy it, but Grusha was one who did. He liked racing down hills on his sled. This would sometimes run him into trouble with the local Pokemon. On one of these incidents, a Cetoddle wandered over to help him. The rest is history.
The culture of Paldea involves finding your treasure, that is, your path in life. His parents encouraged him, saying that if he liked going down slopes for fun, maybe he should do that for a living. So he decided to try his hand at snowboarding, and in the process became one of the huge success stories of the region that didn't involve Pokemon. That isn't to say he didn't use them, however: he went on his journey, and that was every bit as involved as it would be in any other regions. His Ice-type specialty came about because when you tend to go to a lot of cold locations, you tend to run into a lot of them. He went with it and, finding he enjoyed that too, aimed even higher and found success there too. He eventually came to be one of the Gym Leaders of his home region. His Gym is more popular than his town. This and becoming one of the best boarders in the world really put him into the spotlight. His androgyny has gotten him admirers by people of all orientations, although he keeps his own under wraps. There have been social media posts about heterosexual males questioning themselves (or being freaked out) after realizing his gender.
However, his snowboarding career came to an abrupt end in autumn of 2015 due to an injury he suffered on Crown Mountain. His leg was broken and he suffered severe frostbite. The doctors said that even after his recovery, he'd suffered permanent nerve damage and will no longer be able to ride a snowboard safely. Without much more to do these days, he's decided to focus on strengthening his Pokemon. It's the only thing he has left.
Some suspect there is far more to it than meets the eye. Grusha insists that it was an accident, and he warns that even the most talented can suffer them. However, some point out he was on the island around the time of Operation Mottineva: the mission to capture or destroy the Terror of Edinburgh, who had recently become more aggressive towards humans.
Pokemon commentary 1: Lapras
The posterchild of riding on Pokemon across water. They are kind and compassionate descendants from ancient plesiosaur-like Pokemon who are always willing to transport those who can't swim, person or Pokemon. They are believed to be one of the first Pokemon tamed. Their survival instincts were low due to having few natural predators, not helped by natural pacifism in the wild. This made them an easy target for poachers who wanted their shells or to capture them for use/selling. They were smart enough to adapt, and now few make themselves known to humans. Conservationists and mediators have been working to reverse the damage that has been done.
They have a regional variant found in cold regions, most famous as one of Tiksi Champion Ivan Turgenev's best Pokemon. Due to no clear attribution, they are commonly called Arctic Lapras. Their bodies are a pale blue with white patches, their horns are very sharp, their mouths have more teeth, and their back is a bed of icy spikes not suited for riding. They are larger and more showy than regular Lapras, but like them, are often led by the largest – and can get large enough to make big waves. Arctic Lapras are not docile like the standard variant, nor are they aggressive. They lose their Water type and singing abilities, but awaken their latent Psychic abilities to better communicate in low-visibility waters. Poachers who try to go after these thinking they're just as easy a mark as their counterparts typically end up gruesomely killed.
Normal Lapras have an obscure evolution named Abydos; the above variant cannot evolve. They have a siren-like song and odder-shaped shell, and are quite a bit bigger than their pre-evolution. Melony is a notable owner of one of these, given it's her ace. Yeah, this is GMax yeeted, I'll get to it more when relevant.
Pokemon commentary 2: Swinub, Piloswine, and Mamoswine
Mamoswine is a Pokemon that was thought to be long extinct. Their relation to Swinub was known from fossil regeneration, but there seemed to be no way for a Piloswine to evolve into it in the modern era. That was, until 1951 where a Pokemon Breeder who taught a Swinub how to invoke Ancient Power got the shock of a lifetime when, shortly after the piglet's evolution into Piloswine, it evolved again. While it was known that Pokemon like Girafarig, Bonsly, and Steenee could evolve after mastering a move, this was totally new: Piloswine did not naturally learn Ancient Power, so it was a small wonder that it was never noticed. This broke open the door for Pokemon studies, and other evolutions that people thought could no longer evolve in the modern age, such as Stantler.
These Pokemon are built for cold conditions with their long fur and rugged hooves that prevent slipping. Swinub are small pig-like Pokemon who are almost completely blind. They instead rely on their sensitive nose to view the world around them. A Swinub can smell odors that most wouldn't notice. They use this to find food and water. If they smell a predator, they'll seek out a burrow. They are sometimes employed as trackers by police in colder regions. This ability actually weakens a little upon evolution, but a Piloswine is also adept at using its ears. They are very sensitive to loud or irritating noises. Their fur is so long that it covers their eyes, rendering the Pokemon almost blind in another way. It can be trimmed with no adverse effects, though their sight still isn't that great compared to their other senses.
Their evolution could occur naturally around 10000 years ago when the planet was much colder, but now a Piloswine needs to recall those bygone days with Ancient Power to do so. For all intents and purposes, there is no difference between a modern one and an ancient one; a specimen was actually successfully defrosted and studies showed no difference in DNA, but it showed no capacity to use Ancient Power. It's believed they can put their bodies into a state of suspended animation. A newly evolved one might take some time getting used to its new semi-respectable eyesight, unless trained earlier as a Piloswine. They retain their sharp sense of smell and hearing. Their tusks are partially composed of ice, and being in colder weather allows them to grow them longer. They make excellent mounts in deep snow for their ability to tear through it and endure any sort of temperature.
Menacing moves:
• Freeze-Dry: One of several moves that can turn usual type interactions around; this move focuses specifically on Water-type energy and rapidly lowers its temperature. It's still discomforting to other types, but it is highly effective on Water-types.
• Frost Breath: The tiny ice particles in this breath attack are exceptionally good at striking pressure points on a Pokemon, effectively always landing a critical hit.
• Sheer Cold: An ultimate yet unwieldly attack that chills the very air around a target. While it is usually not enough to instantly incapacitate something here, it is powerful and ignores virtually all defenses, and is likely to induce frostbite. Of course, Ice-types that are used to it won't be bothered at all.
• Mist: A faint protective fog swirls around the user and their allies. This puts a mystical freeze on effects that would lower a Pokemon's capabilities. However, it cannot protect against something that happens within or is otherwise self-inflicted. It can also be used as a temporary smokescreen.
• Aurora Veil: This requires snow or ice particles to be around the Pokemon to use properly. The Pokemon uses those to manifest a colorful shield that not only partially absorbs special moves, but slows physical attacks right before they hit to weaken their impact. Effectively a combination of Light Screen and Reflect, doing the same thing as both.
Noteworthy future Pokemon in-fic: Claris Willins' Glaceon "Celeste"
The catastrophic journey of former child actress Claris Willins has been well documented. She was supposed to travel with her best friend (and obvious crush), Nori Carino, but something happened between them and she ran off alone. Blue is her favorite color, and so she assembled a team of mostly blue Pokemon - plus Staraptor, her favorite Pokemon. She captured an Eevee when given an invitation to Norton Victor Backlot's Trophy Garden, and evolved her with an Ice Stone straight away. A little ironically, the fox Pokemon was very cold to what happened once she understood the scope of it, but does what she can to support her trainer out of being guilted by her teammates.
